not as steady in flight
as she should have been.

"But I can remedy that with the use of some of dad's gyroscope
stabilizers," he told Mr. Damon.

They returned to the hangar safely, and the first trip of the new
Silent Sam was an assured success.

It was the following day, when Tom was busy in the machine shop
installing the gyroscopes spoken of, that Jackson came to tell him
there was a visitor to see him.

"Who is it?" asked the young inventor.

"Mr. Gale of the Universal Company," was the answer.

"I don't want to see him!" declared Tom quickly. "I have nothing to say
to him after his clumsy threats."

"He seems very much in earnest," said Jackson. "Better see him, if only
for a minute or so."

"All right, I will," assented Tom. "Show him in."

Mr. Gale, as blusteringly bluff as ever, entered the shop. Tom had
carefully put away all papers and models, as well as the finished
machines, so he had no fear that his visitor might discover some secret.

"Oh, Mr. Swift!" began the president of the Universal Company, when he
met the young inventor, "I wish to assure you that what has been done
was entirely without our knowledge. And, though this man may have acted
as our agent at one time, we repudiate any acts of his that might--"

"What are you talking about?" asked Tom in surprise. "Have I been so
impolite as to sleep during part of your talk? I don't understand what
you are driving at."

"Oh, I thought you did," said Gale, and he showed surprise. "I
understood that the man who--"

"Do you mean there was some one here in the shed last night?" cried the
young inventor suddenly, all his suspicions aroused.

"Some one here last night?" repeated Mr. Gale. "No, I don't refer to
last night. But perhaps I am making a mistake. I--er--I--"

"Some one is making a mistake!" said Tom significantly.

CHAPTER XIX

ANOTHER FLIGHT

For perhaps a quarter of a minute Tom Swift and the president of the
Universal Flying Machine Company of New York sat staring at one
another. Mr. Gale's face wore a puzzled expression, and so did Tom's.
And, after the last remark of the young inventor, the man who had
called to see him said:

"Well, perhaps we are talking at cross purposes. I don't blame you for
not feeling very friendly toward us, and if I had had my way that last
correspondence with you would never have left our office."

"It wasn't very business-like," said Tom dryly, referring to the veiled
threats when