his feet he gave one look at the testing block, whence the motor had torn itself. Then he looked at the prostrate figures around him, none of them hurt, but all stunned and very much star

ob massy! D

at Tom Swift, rueful as he felt over the failure of his experim

right," said Ned Newton, as he recovered himself and

Tom slowly. "I can't say what damage t

"I saw Eradicate pull on that lever as you told him to, Tom, an

much power into the motor, and the muffler didn't give any chance for the accumulated exhaust gases to expand and esca

ft dryly. "Don't try to get rid of all the noise at

so," ag

e motor had been blown. Tom opened the door to assure Jackson and the others that no one was hurt, and then the

up," said Tom, as he made an inspection of the brok

commented Ned. "Must have be

were torn apart as though made of paper instead of heavy steel. But for the fact that all the force of the explosion was directly up

he damaged machine removed and the roof repaired,

What do y

going to experim

now what the matter was-not leaving any vent for the escaping gases. Why this isn't anything. When I was perfe

any more of that. But as between being blown through a roof and he

y experiments, I wouldn't dream of such a thing! Why,

less my shoe buttons, Tom, but if my wife knew what danger I

ou to a test I'll be more caref

s far as I'm concerned!" laughed Ned. "I

Eradicate, once he knew he had not been the one who caused the damage, he felt rather pr

t had been blown through the roof was useless now, and it was sent to the scrap heap, after as much of it as po

same time laboring to cut down the concussion of the explosions in the cylinder without reducing their force any. And that it was no easy problem

mechanician one day. "Haven't you a good man who is used to

e. Roberts is busy on the new bomb you

nt that work to go on. Isn't there

nic. Knows a lot about gas engines. I could let you have him-Bower his name is. The only thing about it, thou

ere won't be any secrets he can get, if you

ou never can tell, you know, an

s. I only want some one to do the heavy assembling work on the experimental m

will be all right. I'

the machine on which he was engaged, but did as he was told. As Tom had said, he kept his plans and drawin

owers of those who were opposed to him. He did not appreci

d exploded. He began to see success ahead of him, and he was jubilant. Whether this made him careless does not

in consultation over a new machine, that as he came back to the test room unexpectedly, he saw Bower move hastily away from

ed from a window and saw a stranger running hastily along the

he tampering with my safe?" cried Tom. He saw Bower hes

fter the stranger he had seen departing in such a hurry. The man was but a short

!" ordered Tom, but th

Bower is in with him!" he added. "I've got to catch that f