第21章

"I don't know whether you've done anything or not," said Tom."I'm going to take you back and see what you and Bower have to say.He may know something about this.""If he does I don't believe he'll tell," said Jackson."Why not?" asked Tom, quickly.

"Because he's gone." "Gone! Bower gone?"

"Yes," answered Jackson."I saw him running out of the experiment shop as we raced along to help you.I didn't think, at the time, that he was doing more than go for aid, perhaps.But I see the game now." "Oh, you mean--him?" and Tom pointed to the dripping figure.

"Yes," said Jackson in a low voice, as Koku went on ahead with his prisoner."If, as you say, this man was in league with Bower, the latter has smelled a rat and skipped.He has run away, and I only hope he hasn't done any damage or got hold of any of your plans.""We'll soon know about that," said Tom."I wonder who is at the bottom of this?""Maybe those men you wouldn't work for," suggested the machinist."YoumeanGaleandWareoftheUniversalFlyingMachineCompany?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I don't believe they'd stoop to any such measures as this- -sending spies around," replied Tom."But I can't be too careful.We'll investigate."The first result of the investigation was to disclose the fact that Bower was gone.He had taken his few possessions and left the Swift plant while Tom was racing after the stranger.A hasty examination of the safe did not reveal anything missing, as Tom's plans and papers were intact.But they showed evidences of having been looked over, for they were out of the regular order in which the young inventor kept them.

"I begin to see it," said Tom, musingly."Bower must have managed to open the safe while I was gone, and he must have made a hasty copy of some of the drawings of the silent motor, and passed them out of the window to this gold-tooth man, who tried to make off with them.Did you find anything on him?" he asked, as one of the men who had been instructed to search the stranger came into the office just then.

"Not a thing, Mr.Swift! Not a thing!" was the answer."We took off every bit of his clothes and wrapped him in a blanket.He's in the engine room getting dry now.But there isn't a thing in any of his pockets.""But I saw him stuffing some papers in as he ran away from me," said Tom."We must be sure about this.And don't let the fellow get away until I question him.""Oh, he's safe enough," answered the man."Koku is guarding him.He won't get away.""Then I'll have a look at his clothes," decided Tom."He may have a secret pocket."But nothing like this was disclosed, and the most careful search did not reveal anything incriminating in the man's garments.

"He might have thrown away any papers Bower gave him," said Tom."Maybe they're at the bottom of the mud hole! If they're there they're safe enough.But have a search made of the ground where this man ran."This was done, but without result.Some of the workmen even dragged the mud hole without finding anything.Then Tom and his father had a talk with the stranger, who refused to give his name.The man was sullen and angry.He talked loudly about his innocence and of "having the law on" Tom for having tripped him into the mud.

"All right, if you want to make a complaint, go ahead," said the young inventor."I'll make one against you for trespass.Why did you come on mygrounds?"

"I was going to ask for work.I'm a.good machinist and I wanted a job.""How did you get in? Who admitted you at the gate?""I--I jest walked in," said the man, but Tom knew this could not be true, as no strangers were admitted without a permit and none had been issued.The man denied knowing anything about Bower, but the latter's flight was evidence enough that something was wrong.

Not wishing to go to the trouble of having the man arrested merely as a trespasser, Tom let him go after his clothes had been dried on a boiler in one of the shops.

"Take him to the gate, and tell him if he comes back he'll get another dose of the same kind of medicine," ordered Tom to one of the guards at the plant, and when the latter had reported that this had been done, he added in an earnest tone:

"He went off talking to himself and saying he'd get even with you, Mr.Swift.""All right," said Tom easily."I'll be on the watch."The young inventor made a thorough examination of his experiment shop and the test motor.No damage seemed to have been done, and Tom began to think he had been too quick for the conspirators, if such they were.His plans and drawings were intact, and though Bower might have given a copy to the stranger with the gold tooth, the latter did not take any away with him.That he had some papers he wished to conceal and escape with, seemed certain, but the splash into the mud hole had ended this.

No trace was found of Bower, and an effort Tom made to ascertain if the man was a spy in the employ of Gale and Ware came to naught.The machinist had come well recommended, and the firm where he was last employed had nothing but good to say of him.

"Well, it's a mystery," decided Tom."However, I got out of it pretty well.Only if that gold-tooth individual shows up again he won't get off so easily.