按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ill； and need assistance。〃
〃Certainly；〃 Tom answered； and at that moment he heard Mr。 Titus
utter an exclamation。
〃What is it？〃 asked Tom； for the man who had appealed for help； had
withdrawn his head。
47
… Page 48…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
〃Thatthat man！〃 exclaimed the contractor。 〃That was Waddington；
the tool of our rivals。〃
〃Waddington！〃 repeated Tom； with a look at the now closed door。
〃Why； the bearded man has that stateroomthe bearded man who so
nearly lost the steamer。 He isn't Waddington！〃
〃And I tell you Waddington is in that room！〃 insisted the contractor。 〃I
only saw the upper part of his face； but I'd know his eyes anywhere。
Waddington is spying on us！〃
48
… Page 49…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
CHAPTER IV
The Bomb
Tom Swift and Mr。 Titus withdrew a little way down the corridor；
around a bulkhead and out of sight of any one who might look out from
the stateroom whence had come the appeal for help。 But； at the same time；
they could keep watch over it。
〃I tell you Waddington is in there！〃 insisted Mr。 Titus； hoarsely
whispering。
〃Well； perhaps he may be；〃 admitted Tom。 〃But several times I have
seen the bearded man going in there； and it's only a single stateroom； for
it's so marked on the deck plan。〃
〃Waddington might be disguised with a false beard； Tom。〃
〃Yes； he might。 But did the man who just now looked out have a
beard？〃
〃I couldn't tell； as I saw only the upper part of his face。 But those were
Waddington's shifty eyes； I'm positive。〃
〃If Waddington were on board don't you suppose you would have seen
him before this？〃
〃Not positively； no。 If he and the bearded man are one and the same
that would account for it。 But I haven't noticed the bearded man once since
he came aboard in such a hurry。〃
〃Nor have I； now that I come to think of it；〃 Tom admitted。 〃However；
there is an easy way to prove who is in there。〃
〃How？〃
〃We'll knock on the door and go in。〃
〃Perhaps he won't let us。〃
〃He'll think it's the steward he called for。 Come； you know Waddington
better than I do。 You knock and go in。〃
〃I don't know Waddington very well；〃 admitted the contractor。 〃I have
only seen him a few times； but I am sure that was he。 But what shall I do
when he sees I'm not the steward？〃
49
… Page 50…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
〃Tell him you have sent for one。 I'll go with the message； so it will be
true enough。 Even if you have only a momentary glance at him in close
quarters you ought to be able to tell whether or not he has on a false beard；
and whether or not it is Waddington。〃
Mr。 Titus considered for a moment； and then he said：
〃Yes； I guess that is a good plan。 You go for the steward； Tom； and I'll
see if I can get in that stateroom。 But I'm sure I'm not mistaken。 I'll find
Waddington in there； perhaps in the person of the bearded man； disguised。
Or else they are using a single stateroom as a double one。〃 And while Tom
went off down the pitching and rolling corridor to find a steward； Mr。
Titus； not without some apprehension； advanced to knock on the door of
the suspect。
〃If it is Waddington he'll know me at once； of course；〃 thought the
contractor； 〃and there may be a row。 Well； I can't help it。 The success of
my brother and myself depends on finishing that tunnel； and we can't have
Waddington； and those whose tool he is； interfering。 Here goes！〃
He tapped on the door； and a faint voice called：
〃Come in！〃
The contractor entered； and saw the bearded man lying in his berth。
〃Is there anything I can do for you？〃 asked the contractor； bending
close over the man。 He wanted to see if the beard were false。 Somewhat to
his surprise the contractor saw that undoubtedly it was real。
〃Steward； will you kindly get meOh； you're not the steward！〃 the
bearded man exclaimed。
〃No； my friend and I heard you call；〃 replied the contractor。 〃He has
gone for the steward； who will be here soon。 Can I do anything for you in
the meanwhile？〃
〃Nonot a thing！〃 was the rather snappish answer； and the man turned
his face away。 〃I beg your pardon；〃 he went on； as if conscious that he had
acted rudely； 〃but I am suffering very much。 The steward knows just what
I want。 I have had these attacks before。 I am a poor sailor。 If you will send
the steward to me I will be obliged to you。 He can fix me up。〃
〃Very well；〃 assented Mr。 Titus。 〃But if there is anything I can do 〃
At that moment footsteps and voices were heard in the corridor； and as
50
… Page 51…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
the door of the bearded man's stateroom was opened； Mr。 Titus had a
glimpse of Tom and one of the stewards。
〃Yes； I'll look after him；〃 the steward said 〃He's been this way before。
Thank you； sir； for calling me。〃
〃I guess the steward has been well tipped；〃 thought Tom。 As Mr。 Titus
came out and the door was shut； the young inventor asked in a whisper
〃Well； was it be？〃
The contractor shook his head。
〃No；〃 he answered。 〃I never was more surprised in my life。 I felt sure
it was Waddington in there； but it wasn't。 That man's beard is real； and
while he has a look like Waddington about the eyes and upper part of his
face； the man is a stranger to me。 That is I think so； but in spite of all that；
I have a queer feeling that I have met him before。〃
〃Where？〃 Tom inquired。
〃That I can't say；〃 and the tunnel contractor shook his head。 〃Whew！
That was a bad one！〃 he exclaimed； as the steamer pitched and tossed in
an alarming manner。
〃Yes； the storm seems to be getting worse instead of better；〃 agreed
Tom。 〃I hope none of the cargo shifts and comes banging up against my
new explosive。 If it does； there'll be no more tunnel digging for any of us。〃
〃Better not mention the fact of the explosives on board；〃 suggested Mr。
Titus。
〃I won't；〃 promised Tom。 〃The passengers are frightened enough as it
is。 But I watched the powder being stored away。 I guess it is safe。〃
The storm raged for two days before it began to die away。 Meanwhile；
nothing was seen； on deck or in the dining cabins； of the bearded man。
Tom and Mr。 Titus made some guarded inquiries of the steward who
had attended the sick man； and from him learned that he was down on the
passenger list as Senor Pinto； from Rio de Janeiro； Brazil。 He was
traveling in the interests of a large firm of coffee importers of the United
States； and was going to Lima。
〃And there's no trace of Waddington？〃 asked Tom of Mr。 Titus； as they
were discussing matters in their stateroom one day。
〃Not a trace。 He seems to have dropped out of sight； and I'm glad of
51
… Page 52…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
it。〃
〃Perhaps Blakeson & Grinder have given up the fight against you。〃
〃I wish they had； though I don't look for any such good luck。 But I'm
willing to fight them； now that we have an even chance； thanks to your
explosive。〃
The storm blew itself out。 The Bellaconda 〃crossed the line；〃 and there
was the usual horseplay among the sailors when Father Neptune came
aboard to hold court。 Those who had never before been below the equator
were made to undergo more or less of an initiation； being lathered and
shaved； and then pushed backward into a canvas tank of water on deck。
While Tom enjoyed the voyage； with the possible exception of the
storm； he was anxious； and so was Mr。 Titus； for the time to come when
they should get to the tunnel and try the effect of the new explosive。 Mr。
Damon found an elderly gentleman as fond of playing chess as was the
eccentric man himself； and his days were fully occupied with castles；
pawns； knights； kings； queens and so on。 As for Koku he was taken in
charge by the sa