he took it as a joke."

"In which case," spoke Tom grimly, "he will find that he has carried
the joke too far," and with that he and the miner left the Foger
home.

"It's all my fault," bewailed Abe, as he and our hero trudged on
toward the Swift household.

"No, it wasn't, Abe," declared Tom. "Any one would have been
deceived by such tactics as Andy used--that is any stranger. And you
didn't expect to find two airship sheds so close together."

"No. That's right, I didn't. That's what threw me off th' track."

"Andy only recently began work on his triplane. I don't know what
his object is, and I don't care. Just now I'm more concerned about
getting back this map."

"I hope we do get it."

"Oh, we will. I'm going to start off on my own hook, to find Andy.
But first I'll take you to my house."

The old miner was soon telling his story to Mr. Swift, the
housekeeper and Garret Jackson. They expressed their surprise at
Andy's daring act. But Tom didn't do much more talking.

"I'm going out to find Andy," he declared, "and when I do--" He
didn't finish his sentence, but they all knew what he meant.

But the bully was in none of his usual haunts, though Tom visited
them all. Nor was Andy at the homes of either of his cronies.

"Well, if I don't find him, I shall certainly swear out the
warrant," decided Tom. "I'll give him until night, and then I'll
call on the police."

Still he did not give up, but went to several other places where
Andy might be found. He had about given up, as it was getting toward
late afternoon, when, as he came out of a billiardroom, where the
bully was in the habit of spending much of his time, Tom saw the lad
of whom he was in search.

"Hold on there, Andy Foger!" cried the young inventor. "I want to
see you!"

"What about?"

"You know very well. Where's that map you stole?"

"I haven't got it."

"Take care!" and Tom, with a quick step was beside the bully, and
had grasped him firmly by the arm.

"You let me alone, Tom Swift!" cried Andy.

"Where's that map?" and Tom gave Andy's arm a wrench.

"It's at your house; that's where it is! I just took it back. It was
only a joke."

"A joke, eh? And you took it back?"

"Yes, I did. Now you let me go!"

"I will when I find out if you're telling me the truth or not, Andy
Foger. You come with me!"

"Where?"

"To my house. I want to see if that map's there."

"Well, you'll find that it is, and you'd better let me go! My fath