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lummox ob a giant！ He done knocked de breff outen me； so he did。〃
〃You come back from that stone pile！〃 Tom ordered。 〃I'm going to
blow it up in a minute； and if you get too near you'll have the breath
knocked out of you worse than Koku did it。 Come back； I say！〃
But Eradicate was obstinate and kept on。 Tom； who was adjusting a
firing battery in the shack； laughed； and then in exasperation cried：
〃Koku； go and get him and bring him back。 Carry him if he won't
come any other way。 I don't want the dear old chump to get the fright of
his life； and he sure will if he goes too close。 Bring him back！〃
〃Koku bring； Master；〃 was the giant's answer。
He ran toward Eradicate； who； seeing his tormentor approaching；
redoubled his shuffling pace toward the stone pile。 But he was no match
for the giant； who； ignoring his struggles； picked up Eradicate； and；
flinging him over his shoulder like a sack of meal； brought him to the
shack。
〃There him be； Master！〃 said the giant。
〃So I see；〃 laughed Torn。 〃Now you stay here； Rad。〃
〃No； sah！ No； sah； Massa Tom！ II'se gwine t' git a rock an'an'
bash his haiddat's what I'se gwine t' do！〃 and the colored man tried to
struggle to his feet。
〃Look out now！〃 cried Tom； suddenly。 〃If things go right there won't
be a rock left for you to 'bash' anybody's head with； Rad。 Look out！〃
The three cowered inside the shack； which； though it was rudely made；
was built of beavy logs and planks； with a fronting of sod and bags of
sand。
Tom turned a switch。 There was a loud report； and where the stone pile
had been there was a big hole in the ground； while the air was filled with
fragments of rock and dirt。 These came down in a shower on the roof of
the shack； and Eradicate covered his ears with his trembling hands。
〃Amam de world comin' to de end； Massa Tom？〃 he asked。 〃Am dat
Gabriel's trump I done heah？〃
〃No； you dear old goose！〃 laughed the young inventor。 〃That was just
a charge of my new explosivea small charge； too。 But it seems to have
done the work。〃
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He ran from the shack to the place where the rock pile had been； and
picked up several small fragments。
〃Busted all to pieces！〃 exulted Tom Swift。 〃Not a piece left as big as a
hickory nut。 That's going some！ I've got the right mixture at last。 If an
ounce did that； a few hundred pounds ought to knock that Andes tunnel
through the mountain in no time。 I'll telegraph to Mr。 Titus。〃
Leaving Koku and Rad to collect the wires and firing apparatus； there
being no danger now； as no explosive was left in the shack； Tom made his
way back to the house。 His father met him。
〃Well； Tom；〃 he asked； 〃another failure？〃
〃No； Dad！ Success！ This time I turned the trick。 I seem to have gotten
just the right mixture。 Look； these are some of the pieces left from the big
rockone of the samples Mr。 Titus sent me。 It was all cracked up as small
as this；〃 and he held out the fragments he had picked up in the field。
Mr。 Swift regarded them for a few moments。
〃That's better； Tom；〃 he said。 〃I didn't think you could get an explosive
that would successfully shatter that hard rock； but you seem to have done
it。 Have you the formula all worked out？〃
〃All worked out； Dad。 I only made a small quantity； but the same
proportions will hold good for the larger amounts。 I'm going to start in and
make it now。 And thenHo！ for Peru！〃
Tom struck an attitude； such as some old discoverer might have
assumed； and then he hurried into the house to telephone a telegram to the
Shop' ton office。 The message was to Mr。 Titus； and read：
〃Explosive success。 Start making it at once。 Ready for Peru in
month's time。〃
〃Thirteen words；〃 repeated Tom； as the operator called them back to
him。 〃I hope that doesn't mean bad luck。〃
The experiment which Tom Swift had just brought to a successful
conclusion was one of many he had conducted； extending over several
wearying weeks。
As soon as Tom had received the samples of the rock he had begun to
experiment。 First he tried some of the explosive that was so successful in
the giant cannon； As he had feared； it was not what was needed。 It cracked
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the rock； but did not disintegrate it； and that was what was needed。 The
hard rock must be broken up into fragments that could be easily handled。
Merely to crack it necessitated further explosions； which would only serve
to split it more and perhaps wedge it fast in the tunnel。
So Tom tried different mixtures； using various chemicals； but none
seemed to be just right。 The trials were not without danger； either。 Once； in
mixing some ingredients； there was an explosion that injured one man； and
blew Tom some distance away。 Fortunately for him； there was an open
window in the direction in which he was propelled； and he went through
that； escaping with only some cuts and bruises。
Another time there was a hang…fire； and the explosive burned instead
of detonating； so that one of the shops caught； and there was no little work
in subduing the flames。
But Tom would not give up； and finally； after many trials； he hit on
what he felt to be the right mixture。 This he took out to the big lot； and
having made a miniature tunnel with some of the sample rock； and having
put some of the explosive in a hole bored in the big chunk Koku carried；
Tom fired the charge。 The result we have seen； It was a success。
A day after receiving Tom's message Mr。 Titus came on and a
demonstration was given of the powerful explosive。
〃Tom； that's great！〃 cried the tunnel contractor。 〃Our troubles are at an
end now。〃
But； had he known it； new ones were only just beginning。
Tom at once began preparations for making the explosive on a large
scale； as much of it would be needed in the Andes tunnel。 Then； having
turned the manufacturing end of it over to his men； Tom began his
preparations for going to Peru。
Mr。 Damon was also getting ready； and it was arranged that he； with
Tom and Mr。 Titus； should take a vessel from San Francisco； crossing the
continent by train。 The supply of explosive would follow them by special
freight。
〃We might have gone by Panama except for the slide in the canal；〃
Tom said。 〃And I suppose I could take you across the continent in my
airship； Mr。 Titus； if you object to railroad travel。〃
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〃No； thank you； Tom。 If it's just the same to you； I'd rather stay on the
ground；〃 the contractor said。 〃I'm more used to it。〃
A day or so before the start for San Francisco was to be made； Tom；
passing a store in Shopton； saw something in the window he thought Mary
Nestor would like。 It was a mahogany work…box； of unique design；
beautifully decorated； and Tom purchased it。
〃Shall I have it sent？〃 asked the clerk。
〃No； thank you；〃 Tom answered。
He knew the young lady who had waited on him； and； for reasons of
his own； he did not want her to know that Mary was to get the box。
Carrying the present to his laboratory； Tom prepared to wrap it up
suitably to send to Mary； with a note。 Just； however； as he was looking for
a box suitable to contain the gift； he received a summons to the telephone。
Mr。 Titus； in New York； wanted to speak to him。
〃Here； Rad！〃 Tom called。 〃Just box this up for me； like a good fellow；
and then take it to Miss Nestor at this address； will you？〃 and Tom handed
his man the addressed letter he had written to Mary。 〃Be careful of it；〃
Tom cautioned。
〃Oh； I'll be careful； Massa Tom；〃 was the reply。 〃I'll shore be careful。〃
And Eradicate wasall too careful。
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