Mr. Sharp," went on the lad. "He'll be interested."

"Anything new since I've been away?" asked the odd man. "Bless my shoe
laces, but I'm glad to get back!"

Tom told of the prospect of a new bank being started, and of Sam's
midnight visit, as well as the encounter with Mr. Foger and Andy.

"I went over to see what Mr. Foger wanted of you," went on the young
inventor, "but you weren't home. Did he call?"

"The servant said he had been there, not once, but several times,"
remarked Mr. Damon. "That reminds me. He left a note for me, and I
haven't read it yet. I'll do so now."

He tore open the letter, and hastily perused the contents.

"Ha!" he exclaimed. "So that's what he wanted to see me about!"

"What?" inquired Tom, with the privilege of and old friend.

"Mr. Foger says he's going to start a new bank, and he wants me to
withdraw my deposit from the old one, and put it in his institution.
Says he'll pay me bigger interest. And he adds that some of the old
employees have gone with him."

"I hope you're not going to change," spoke Tom, thinking of his chum,
Ned.

"Indeed I'm not. The old bank is good enough for me. By the way,
doesn't a friend of yours work there?"

"Yes, Ned Newton. I'm wondering how he'll be affected?"

"Don't you worry!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Bless my check book! I'll
speak to Pendergast about your friend. Maybe there'll be a chance to
advance him further. I've got some mortgages falling due pretty soon,
and I'll deposit the money from them in the old bank. Then we'll see
what we can do about Ned."

"They'll make you a bank director, if you keep on putting in money,"
remarked our hero, with a smile.

"Not much they won't!" was the quick answer

"Bless my stocks and bonds! I've got trouble enough without becoming a
bank director. My doctor says my liver is out of order again, and I've
got to eat a lemon every morning before breakfast."

"Eat a lemon?"

"Well, drink the juice! It's the same thing. But how is the electric
runabout coming on?"

"Pretty good."

"Have you entered it in the races yet?"

"No, but I've written for information. I have until September to finish
it. The races take place then."

"Let's see; they're on Long Island; aren't they? How do you calculate
to do; run from here to there?"

"No, Dad still has the cottage he rented when we built the submarine
and I think I'll make that my headquarters during the race. It's easy
to run from there over to the Lon