business best, Tom. Yet I cannot but feel
you have made a mistake."

"How?" asked Tom. "By not taking that money? I can easily make that in
a year, with an idea I have in mind for an improvement on an airship.
And your new electric motor will soon be ready for the market. Besides,
we don't really need the money."

"No, not now, Tom, but there is no telling when we may," said Mr.
Swift, slowly. "This big war has made many changes, and things that
brought us in a good income before, hardly sell at all, now."

"Oh, don't worry, Dad! We still have a few shots left in the locker--in
other words, the bank. I'm expecting Ned Newton over any moment now, to
give us the annual statement of our account, and then we'll know where
we stand. I'm not afraid from the money end. Our business has done
well, and it is going to do better. I have a new idea."

"That's all very well, Tom," said Mr. Swift, who seemed oppressed by
something. "As you say, money isn't everything, and I know we shall
always have enough to live on. But there is something about those two
men I do not like. They were very angry at your refusal of their offer.
I could see that. Tom, I don't want to be a croaker, but I think you'll
have to watch out for those men. They're going to be your enemies--your
rivals in the airship field," and Mr. Swift shook his head dolefully.

"Well, rivalry, when it's clean and above board, is the spice of trade
and invention," returned Tom, lightly. "I'm not afraid of that."

"No, but it may be unfair and underhand," said Mr. Swift. "I think it
would have been better, Tom, to have accepted their offer. Twenty
thousand a year, clear money, is a good sum."

"Yes, but I may make twice that with something that occurred to me only
a little while ago. Forget about those men, Dad, and I'll tell you my
new idea. But wait, I want Mr. Damon to hear it, too. Where is he?"

"He was here a little while ago. He went out when those two men came
and--"

At that moment, from the garden at the side of the library, the sound
of voices in dispute could be heard.

"Now yo' all g'wan 'way from yeah!" exclaimed some one who could be
none other than Eradicate Sampson. "Whut fo' yo' all want to clutter up
dish yeah place fo'? Massa Tom said I was to do de garden wuk, an' I'se
gwine to do it! G'wan 'way, Giant!"

"Ho! You want me to get out, s'pose you put me, black face!" cried a
big voice, that of Koku, the giant.

"There they go! At it again!"