enthusiastically into the plans for everything that
Tom Swift was interested in.

Mary was excited by the story Tom told her in the Nestor sitting room.
The idea of the electric locomotive she saw, of course, was something
that might add to Tom's laurels as an inventor. But the other phase of
the evening's adventure--"Tom, dear!" she murmured with no little
disturbance of mind. "That man who stopped you! He is a thief, and a
dangerous man! I hate to think of your going home alone."

"He's got what he was after," chuckled Tom. "Is it likely he will
bother me again?"

"And you do not seem much worried about it," she cried, in wonder.

"Not much, I confess, Mary," said Tom, and grinned.

"But if, as you suppose, that man was working for Mr. Bartholomew's
enemies--"

"I am convinced that he was, for he did not rob me of my watch and
chain or loose money. And he could have done so easily. I don't mind
about the old wallet. There was only five dollars in it."

"But those notes you said you took of Mr. Bartholomew's offer?"

"Oh, yes," chuckled Tom again. "Those notes. Well, I may as well
explain to you, Mary, and not try to puzzle you any longer. But that
highwayman is sure going to be puzzled a long, long time."

"What do you mean, Tom?"

"Those notes were jotted down in my own brand of shorthand. Such
stenographic notes would scarcely be readable by anybody else. Ho, ho!
When that bold, bad hold-up gent turns the notes over to Montagne
Lewis, or whoever his principal is, there will be a sweet time."

"Oh, Tom! isn't that fun?" cried Mary, likewise much amused.

"I can remember everything we said there in the library," Tom
continued. "I'll see Ned tonight on my way home from here, and he will
draw a contract the first thing in the morning."

"You are a smart fellow, Tom!" said Mary, her laughter trilling sweetly.

"Many thanks, Ma'am! Hope I prove your compliment true. This
two-mile-a-minute stunt--"

"It seems wonderful," breathed Mary.

"It sure will be wonderful if we can build a locomotive that will do
such fancy lacework as that," observed Tom eagerly. "It will be a great
stunt!"

"A wonderful invention, Tom."

"More wonderful than Mr. Bartholomew knows," agreed the young fellow.
"An electric locomotive with both great speed and great hauling power
is what more than one inventor has been aiming at for two or three
decades. Ever since Edison and Westinghouse began their experiments, in
truth."