is mo' 'n yo' all does. Go on an' lemme be!"

Koku, good naturedly, gave place, for he, too, felt for Eradicate.

"Well, Ned," remarked Tom one day, after the visit of the postman, "I
have a letter from the steel people. They are going to take the gun out
of the mould tomorrow, and start to rifle it. We'll take a run down in
the airship, and see how it looks. I must take those drawings, too,
that show the new plan of shrinking on the jackets. I guess I'll keep
them in my room, so I won't forget them."

Tom and Ned occupied adjoining and connecting apartments, for, of late,
Ned had taken up his residence with his chum. It was shortly after
midnight that Ned was awakened by hearing someone prowling about his
room. At first he thought it was Tom, for the shorter way to the bath
lay through Ned's apartment, but when the lad caught the flash of a
pocket electric torch he knew it could not be Tom.

"Who's there?" cried Ned sharply, sitting up in bed.

Instantly the light went out, and there was silence.

"Who's there?" cried Ned again.

This time he thought he heard a stealthy footstep.

"What is it?" called Tom from his chamber.

"Someone is in here!" exclaimed Ned. "Look out, Tom!"

CHAPTER XV

READY FOR THE TEST

Tom Swift acted promptly, for he realized the necessity. The events
that had hedged him about since he had begun work on his giant cannon
made him suspicious. He did not quite know whom to suspect, nor the
reasons for their actions, but he had been on the alert for several
days, and was now ready to act.

The instant Ned answered as he did, and warned Tom, the young inventor
slid his hand under his pillow and pressed an auxiliary electric switch
he had concealed there. In a moment the rooms were flooded with a
bright light, and the two lads had a momentary glimpse of an intruder
making a dive for the window.

"There he is, Tom!" cried Ned.

"What do you want?" demanded Tom, instinctively. But the intruder did
not stay to answer.

Instead, he made a dive for the casement. It was one story above the
ground, but this did not cause him any hesitation. It was summer, and
the window was open, though a wire mosquito net barred the aperture.
This was no hindrance to the man, however.

As Ned and Tom leaped from their beds, Ned catching up the heavy, empty
water pitcher as a weapon, and Tom an old Indian war club that served
as one of the ornaments of his room, the fellow, with one kick, burs