may be
delayed talking business to these strangers, you'd better get up a
bigger meal than usual."

"I will, Tom," promised Mrs. Baggert. And then the young inventor,
having seen that one of the men took the automobile to the garage, went
into the house.

"Oh, here you are!" was his father's greeting, as he came out into the
hall from the library. "I've been waiting anxiously for you, my boy. I
couldn't think what was keeping you."

"Oh, I had a little trouble with the air machine--nothing serious."

A moment later Tom was standing before two well-dressed,
prosperous-looking business men, who smiled pleasantly at him.

"Mr. Thomas Swift?" interrogated one, the elder, as he held out his
hand.

"That's my name," answered Tom, pleasantly.

"I'm Peton Gale, and this gentleman is Boland Ware," went on the man
who had taken Tom's hand. "I'm president and he's treasurer of the
Universal Flying Machine Company, of New York."

"Oh, yes," said Tom, as he shook hands with Mr. Ware. "I have heard of
your concern. You are doing a lot of government work, are you not?"

"Yes; war orders. And we're up to our neck in them. This war is going
to be almost as much fought in the air as on the ground, Mr. Swift."

"I can well believe that," agreed Tom. "Won't you have a chair?"

"Well, we didn't come to stay long," said Mr. Gale with a laugh, which,
somehow or other, grated on Tom and seemed to him insincere. "Our
business is such a rushing one that we don't spend much time anywhere.
To get down to brass tacks, we have come to see you to put a certain
proposition before you, Mr. Swift. You are open to a business
proposition, aren't you?"

"Oh, yes," answered Tom. "That's what I'm here for."

"I thought so. Well, now I'll tell you, in brief, what we want, and
then Mr. Ware, our treasurer, can elaborate on it, and give you facts
and figures about which I never bother myself. I attend to the
executive end and leave the details to others," and again came that
laugh which Tom did not like.

"You came here to make me an offer?" asked the young inventor,
wondering to which of his many machines the visitors had reference.

"Yes," went on Mr. Gale, "we came here to make you a big offer. In
short, Mr. Swift, we want you to work for our company, and we are
willing to pay you ten thousand dollars a year for the benefit of your
advice and your inventive abilities. Ten thousand dollars a year! Do
you accept?"

CHAPTER IV

MR.