第13章

THE TRIAL TRIP

"THIS is my busy day!" announced the young inventor as he went into the Nestor sitting room, where the telephone was installed.

"Perhaps it is some one else who wants you to come to their rescue," suggested Mary.

But it was not, as Tom related a little later when he had finished his talk over the wire.

"Just a business matter," he announced to Mary and her mother, when he rejoined them."A gentleman with whom I expect to make a submarine trip is at the house, and wants to consult with me about details.He is getting anxious to start.Mr.Damon is there, too.""Blessing every thing he lays eyes on, I suppose," remarked Mrs.Nestor, with a smile.

"Yes, and some things he doesn't see," agreed Tom."He is going with us on this submarine trip.""Oh, Tom, are you going to undertake another of those dangerous voyages?" asked Mary, in some alarm.

"Well, I don't know that they are particularly dangerous," replied Tom, with a smile."But we expect to make a search for a sunken treasure ship in a submarine.That's the vessel I'm working on now," he added."We're rebuilding the Advance, you know, making her more up-to-date, and adding some new features, including her name--M.N.1.""I suppose Mr.Damon's friend is getting anxious to make a start, particularly as he has already invested several thousand dollars in the project," went on the young inventor."He formed a company to pay half the expenses of the search, and they will share in the~ treasure--if we find it," Tom said."I wish Mr.Damon, who holds most of the shares the promoter let out of his own hands, had not gone into it, but, since he has, I'm going to do the best I can for him.""Then aren't you friendly with the other man?" asked Mary.

"I don't especially care for him," the young inventor admitted."Heisn't just my style--too fond of himself, and all that.Still I may be misjudging him.However, I'm in the game now, and I'm going to stick.I'll have to be traveling on," he said."Mr.Damon and his friend are at my house, and they've been telephoning all over to find me.I guess this was one of the first places they tried," he said with a smile, referring to the fact that he spent considerable time at Mary's home.

"Well, I'm glad they found you, but I'm sorry you have to go," Mary said with a smile.

A little later Tom Swift, with Ned, for whom he called, was on his way back home in his Air Scout, having said goodbye to Mary and her mother and expressing the hope that Mr.Keith would soon be over his business troubles.

"Oil wells are queer, anyhow," mused Tom.

Then Tom got to thinking about Dixwell Hardley: "I don't like the man, and the more I see of him the less I like him.But I'm in for it now, and I'll stick to the finish.I only wish I could locate the treasure ship, give him his share, and get back to my work.I'm going to try to turn out an airship that a man can use as handily as he does a flivver now."Musing on the possibilities in this field, Tom, having left Ned at the latter's home, soared down from aloft, and a little later, having told Koku to look after the Air Scout, much to the delight of the giant and the discomfiture of Rad, the young inventor was closeted with Mr.Damon and Dixwell Hardley.