cast the green
disk. Powerful mechanisms crushed the meteorite to a fine powder which
was dissolved by strong acids, then separated into its various
ingredients.

[Illustration: The Meteorite Was Crushed]

"The furnace will have to be enlarged!" declared Tom. "I had planned
to make a disk twenty feet long but there is so much X that we can
easily make it thirty-five feet. There'll still be several hundred
pounds left."

"Why not use it all and make the biggest 'scope you can?" suggested Ned
Newton.

"I believe this will be large enough. Besides, I have an idea that the X
has other and even more remarkable powers. I don't want to use it all up
in this device."

[Illustration: "We Can Make a Larger Disk!"]

A gang of men had been employed to clear a trail up the side of the
mountain in the Adirondacks and construct a road to the summit as none
ever had been made to the spot Tom intended to use. A specially large
motor truck was built to carry first the telescope, then the giant green
disk.

It may well be supposed that all these preparations ran into money. Many
a groan did Ned give when he studied the mounting cost sheets. Tom,
however, was deaf to all his chum's protestations.

[Illustration: A Special Truck Was Built]

"I had hoped your new bendable glass would more than repay the cost of
your telescope," grumbled Ned. "That's gone, and it looks to me as
though everything else'll go too. The Swift Construction Company will
soon be bankrupt, Tom Swift, if you don't slow down!"

"What do you mean, my flexible glass is gone? Why, I've had an
application on file in the Patent Office for several months."

"Well, for Pete's sake, why didn't you tell me? Here I've been
worrying my head off for nothing!"

[Illustration: "You'll Be Bankrupt!" Warned Ned]

"Sorry, old man. But you know I've had a lot on my mind. However, we
must get back the papers, for the thief can make things pretty
uncomfortable if he chooses to."

As Tom had found out, X would be useful only in an absolutely pure
state. To refine it to the proper degree was a painfully slow process,
taking in this case a full six weeks. While his chemists labored away
under the young inventor's supervision, everything else had been made
ready. At last the new element was prepared. The tons of yellow powder
were dumped into the heated furnace.

[Illustration: His Chemists Worked Away]

Three days later the stuff had cooled sufficiently for an inspectio