d the young financial manager, "so I didn't include
it. But there's enough without that."

"I should say so!" exclaimed Tom. "Whew!" he whistled, "I didn't think
I was worth that much."

"Well, you've earned it, every cent, with the inventions of yourself
and your father."

"And I might add that we wouldn't have half we earn if it wasn't for
the shrewd way you look after us, Ned," said Tom, with a warm smile at
his friend. "I appreciate the way you manage our affairs; for, though I
have had some pretty good luck with my searchlight, wizard camera, war
tank and other contraptions, I never would have been able to save any
of the money they brought in if it hadn't been for you."

"Well, that's what I'm here for," remarked Ned modestly.

"I appreciate that," began Tom Swift. "And I want to say, Ned--"

But Tom did not say what he had started to. He broke off suddenly, and
seemed to be listening to some sound outside the room of his home where
he and his financial and business manager were going over the year's
statement and accounting.

Ned, too, in spite of the fact that he had been busy going over
figures, adding up long columns, checking statements, and giving the
results to Tom, had been aware, in the last five minutes, of an
ever-growing tumult in the street. At first it had been no more than
the passage along the thoroughfare of an unusual number of pedestrians.
Ned had accounted for it at first by the theory that some moving
picture theater had finished the first performance and the people were
hurrying home.

But after he had finished his financial labors and had handed Tom the
first of a series of statements to look over, the young financial
expert began to realize that there was no moving picture house near
Tom's home. Consequently the passing throngs could not be accounted for
in that way.

Yet the tumult of feet grew in the highway outside. Ned had begun to
wonder if there had been an attempted burglary, a fight, or something
like that, calling for police action, which had gathered an unusual
throng that warm, spring evening.

And then had come Tom's interruption of himself when he broke off in
the middle of a sentence to listen intently.

"What is it?" asked Ned.

"I thought I heard Rad or Koku moving around out there," murmured Tom.
"It may be that my father is not feeling well and wants to speak to me
or that some one may have telephoned. I told them not to disturb me
while you and I were goin