long distance away from it, the stranger
called to the youth.

"I beg your pardon," he said, "but is that a dynamite gun you are
using?"

"No, it's an electric rifle," was the answer.

"Would you mind telling me something about it?" went on the elderly
man, and as Tom's weapon was now fully protected by patents, the
young inventor cordially invited the stranger to come nearer and see
how it worked.

"That's the greatest thing I ever saw!" exclaimed the man
enthusiastically when Tom had blown up another box, and had told of
the illumination for night firing. "The most wonderful weapon I ever
heard of! What a gun it would be in my business."

"What is your trade?" asked Tom curiously, for he had noted that the
man, while aged, was rugged and hearty, and his skin was tanned a
leathery brown, showing that he was much in the open air.

"I'm a hunter," was the reply, "a hunter of big game, principally
elephants, hippos and rhinoceroses. I've just finished a season in
Africa, and I'm going back there again soon. I came on to New York
to get a new elephant gun. I've got a sister living over in
Waterford, and I've been visiting her. I went out for a stroll
to-day, and I came farther than I intended. That's how I happened to be
passing here."

"A sister in Waterford, eh?" mused Tom, wondering whether the
elephant hunter had met Mr. Damon. "And how soon are you going hack
to Africa, Mr.--er--" and Tom hesitated.

"Durban is my name, Alexander Durban," said the old man. "Why, I am
to start back in a few weeks. I've got an order for a pair of big
elephant tusks--the largest I can get for a wealthy New York man,--and
I'm anxious to fulfil the contract. The game isn't what it once
was. There's more competition and the elephants are scarcer. So I've
got to hustle."

"I got me a new gun. But my! it's nothing to what yours is. With
that weapon I could do about as I pleased. I could do night hunting,
which is hard in the African jungle. Then I wouldn't have any
trouble getting the big tusks I'm after. I could get a pair of them,
and live easy the rest of my life. Yes, I wouldn't ask anything
better than a gun like yours. But I s'pose they cost like the
mischief?" He looked a question at Tom.

"This is the only one there is," was the lad's answer. "But I am
very glad to have met you, Mr. Durban. Won't you come into the
house? I'm sure my father will be glad to see you, and I have
something I'd like to talk to you about," and