第51章

"Then our views of the earthquake and the smoking mountain will be the only ones, and your company can control the rights," said Tom to Mr.Nestor, who agreed with him.

In due time, and without anything out of the ordinary happening the Flyer reached Shopton, where Tom found a warm welcome awaiting him, not only from his father, but from a certain young lady, whose name I do not need to mention.

"And so you got everything you went after, didn't you, Tom," exclaimed Mr.Period, a few days later, when he had come from New York to get the remainder of the films.

"Yes, and some things I didn't expect," replied Tom."There was--" "Yes! Yes! I know!" interrupted the odd picture man."It was thatjungle fire.That's a magnificent series.None better.And those scoundrels took your camera; eh?""Yes.Could you connect them with Turbot and Eckert?" asked Tom."No, but I'm sure they were acting for them just the same.I had nolegal evidence to act on, however, so I had to let it go.Turbot and Eckert won't be in it when I start selling duplicates of the films you have.And these last ought to be the best of all.I didn't catch that fellow when I raced after him on the dock.He got away, and has steered clear of me since," finished Mr.Period.

"And our rivals didn't secure any views like ours," said Tom.

"I'm glad of it," spoke Mr.Period."Turbot and Eckert bribed one of my men, and so found out where I was sending messages to you.They even got a copy of my cablegram.But it did them no good.""Were all the films clear that I sent you?" asked our hero.

"Every one.Couldn't be better.The animal views were particularly fine.You must have had your nerve with you to get some of 'em.""Oh, Tom always has his nerve," laughed Ned.

"Well, how soon will you be ready to start out again?" asked the picture man, as he packed up the last of the films which Tom gave him."I'd like to get some views of a Japanese earthquake, and we haven't any polar views.I want some of them, taken as near the North Pole as you can get."Tom gently shook his head.

"What! You don't mean to say you won't get them for me?" cried Mr.Period."With that wonderful camera of yours you can get views no one else ever could.""Then some one else will have to take them," remarked the young inventor."I'll lend you the camera, and an airship, and you can go yourself, Mr.Period.I'm going to stay home for a while.I did what I set out to do, and that's enough.""I'm glad you'll stay home, Tom," said his father."Now perhaps I'll get my gyroscope finished.""And I, my noiseless airship," went on our hero."No, Mr.Period, you'll have to excuse me this time.Why don't you go yourself?" he asked."You would know just what kind of pictures you wanted.""No, I'm a promoter of the moving picture business, and I sell films, but I don't know hew to take them," was the answer."Besides I--er--well, I don't exactly care for airships, Tom Swift," he finished with a laugh."Well, I can't thank you enough for what you did for me, and I've brought you a check to cover your expenses, and pay you as I agreed.All the same I'm sorry you won't start for Japan, or the North Pole.""Nothing doing," said Tom with a laugh; and Mr.Period departed."Have you any idea what you will do next?" asked Ned, a day or solater, when he and Tom were in the workshop.

"I can't tell until I finish my noiseless airship," was the answer."Then something may happen."Something did, as I shall have the pleasure of telling you about in the next volume of this series, to be called, "Tom Swift and His GreatSearchlight; or, On the Border for Uncle Sam," and in it will be given an account of a great lantern our hero made, and how he baffled the smugglers with it.

"Oh, Tom, weren't you dreadfully frightened when you saw that burning river of lava coming toward you?" asked Mary Nestor, when the young inventor called on her later and told her some of his adventures."I should have been scared to death.""Well, I didn't have time to get scared," answered Tom."It all happened so quickly, and then, too I was thinking of my camera.Next I knew Koku grabbed me, and it was all over.""But those wild beasts! Didn't they frighten you, especially when the rhinoceros charged you?""If you won't let it get out, I'll make a confession to you," said Tom, lowering his voice."I was scared stiff that time, but don't let Ned know it." "I won't," promised Mary with a laugh.And now, when Tom is in such pleasant company, we will take leave of him for a while, knowing that.sooner or later, he will be seeking new adventures as exciting as those ofthe past.

THE END