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！
Mary's calmness had its effect on her parents。 Mr。 Nestor cooled down；
as did his wife； and a closer examination of the outer box did not seem to
show that it was an infernal machine of any kind。
〃It's all a mistake； Daddy；〃 Mary said。 〃I'll show you。 Get me a screw
driver。〃
After some delay one was found； and Mr。 Nestor himself opened the
box。 When the tissue paper wrappings of the mahogany gift were revealed
34
… Page 35…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
he gave a sigh of relief； and when Mary undid the wrappings； and saw
what Tom had sent her； she cried：
〃Oh； how perfectly dear！ Just what I wanted！ I wonder how he knew？
Oh； I just love it！〃 and she hugged the beautiful box in her arms。
〃Humph！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Nestor； a slowly gathering light of anger
showing in his eyes。 〃It is a nice present； but that is a very poor sort of
joke to play； in my estimation。〃
〃Joke！ What joke？〃 asked Mary。
〃Putting a present in a box labeled Dynamite； and giving us such a
scare；〃 went on her father。
〃Oh； Father； I'm sure he didn't mean to do it！〃 Mary said； earnestly。
〃Well； maybe he didn't！ He may have thought it a joke； and he may not
have！ But； at any rate； it was a piece of gross carelessness on his part； and
I don't care to consider for a son…in…law a young man as careless as that！〃
〃Oh； Daddy！〃 expostulated Mary。
〃Now； now！ Tut； tut！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Nestor。 〃It isn't your fault； Mary；
but this Tom Swift must be taught a lesson。 He was careless； if nothing
worse； and； for all he knew； there might have been some stray bits of
dynamite in that packing box。 It won't do！ It won't do！ I'll write him a
letter； and give him a piece of my mind！〃
And in spite of all his wife and his daughter could say； Mr。 Nestor did
write Tom a scathing letter。 He accused him of either perpetrating a joke；
or of being careless； or both； and he intimated that the less he saw of Tom
at the Nestor home hereafter the better pleased he would be。
〃There！ I guess that will make him wish he hadn't done it！〃 exclaimed
Mr。 Nestor； as he called a messenger and sent the letter to Tom's house。
Mary and her mother did not know the con tents of the note； but Mary
tried to get Tom on the wire and explain。 However； she was unable to
reach him； as Tom was on the point of leaving。
The messenger； with Mr。 Nestor's letter； arrived just as our hero was
receiving the late afternoon mail from the postman； and just as Tom and
Koku were getting in an automobile to leave for the depot。
〃Good…bye； Dad！〃 Tom called。 〃Good…bye； Mrs。 Baggert！〃 He thrust
Mr。 Nestor's letter； unopened； together with some other mail matter； which
35
… Page 36…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
he took to be merely circulars； into an inner pocket； and jumped into the
car。
Tom and Koku were off on the first stage of their journey。
36
… Page 37…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
CHAPTER VII
Off for Peru
〃Well； Tom Swift； you're on time I see；〃 was Mr。 Job Titus' greeting；
when our hero； and Koku； the giant； alighted from a taxicab in New York；
in front of the hotel the contractor had appointed as a meeting place。
〃Yes； I'm here。〃
〃Did you have a good trip？〃
〃Oh； all right； yes。 Nothing happened to speak of； though we were
delayed by a freight wreck。 Has Mr。 Damon got here yet？〃
〃Not yet； Tom。 But I had a message saying he was on his way。 〃Come
on up to the rooms I have engaged。 Hello； what's all the crowd here for？〃
asked the contractor in some surprise； for a throng had gathered at the
hotel entrance。
〃I expect it's Koku they're staring at；〃 announced Tom； and the giant it
was who had attracted the attention。 He was carrying his own big valise；
and a small steamer trunk belonging to Tom； as easily as though they
weighed nothing； the trunk being under one arm。
〃I guess they don't see men of his size outside of circuses；〃 commented
the contractor。 〃We can pretty nearly； though not quite match him； down in
Peru though； Tom。 Some of the Indians are big fellows。〃
〃We'll get up a wrestling match between one of them and Koku；〃
suggested Tom。 〃Come on！〃 he called to the giant； who was surrounded by
a crowd。
Koku pushed his way through as easily as a bull might make his way
through a throng of puppies about his heels； and as Tom； Mr。 Titus and the
giant were entering the hotel corridor； the chauffeur of the taxicab called
out with a laugh：
〃I say； boss； don't you think you ought to pay double rates on that
chap；〃 and he nodded in the direction of the giant。
〃That's right！〃 added some one in the crowd with a laugh。 〃He might
have broken the springs。〃
37
… Page 38…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
〃All right；〃 assented Tom； good…naturedly； tossing the chauffeur a coin。
〃Here you are； have a cigar on the giant。〃
There was more laughter； and even Koku grinned； though it is doubtful
if he knew what about； for he could not understand much unless Tom
spoke to him in a sort of code they had arranged between them。
〃Sorry to have hastened your departure；〃 began Mr。 Titus when he and
Tom sat in the comfortable hotel rooms； while Koku stood at a window；
looking out at what to him were the marvelous wonders of the New York
streets。
〃It didn't make any difference；〃 replied the young inventor。 〃I was
about ready to come anyhow。 I just had to hustle a little；〃 and he thought
of how he had had to send Mary's present to her instead of taking it
himself。 As yet he was all unaware of the commotion it had caused。
〃Did you get the powder shipment off all right？〃
〃Yes； and it will be there almost as soon as we。 Other shipments will
follow as we need them。 My father will see to that。〃
〃I'm glad you hit on the right kind of powder；〃 went on the contractor。
〃I guess I didn't make any mistake in coming to you； Tom。〃
〃Well； I hope not。 Of course the explosive worked all right in
experimental charges with samples of the tunnel rock。 It remains to be
seen what it will do under actual conditions； and in big service charges。〃
〃Oh； I've no doubt it will work all right。〃
〃What time do we leave here？〃 Tom asked。
〃At two…thirty this afternoon。 We have just time to get a good dinner
and have our baggage transferred to the Chicago limited。 In less than a
week we ought to be in San Francisco and aboard the steamer。 I hope Mr。
Damon arrives on time。〃
〃Oh； you can generally depend on him；〃 said Tom。 〃I telephoned him；
just before I started from Shopton； and he said〃
〃Bless my carpet slippers！〃 cried a voice outside the hotel apartment。
〃But I can find my way all right。 I know the number of the room。 No！ you
needn't take my bag。 I can carry it my self！〃
〃There he is！〃 laughed Tom； opening the door to disclose the eccentric
gentleman himself； struggling to keep possession of his valise against the
38
… Page 39…
TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
importunities of a bellboy。
〃Ah； TomMr。 Titus！ Glad to see you！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon。 〃II
am a little late； I fearhad an accidentwait until I get my breath；〃 and he
sank； panting； into a chair。
〃Accident？〃 cried Tom。 〃Are you？〃
〃Yesmy taxicab ran into another。 Nobody hurt though。〃
〃But you're all out of breath；〃 said Mr。 Titus。 〃Did you run？〃
〃No； but I walked upstairs。〃
〃What！ Seven flights？〃 exclaimed Tom。 〃Weren't the hotel elevators
running？〃
Yes； but I don't like them。 I'd rather walk。 And I did carried my
valisebellboy tried to take it away from me every stephere you are；
sonit wasn't the tip I was trying to get out of；〃 and he tossed the waiting
and grinning lad a quarter。
〃There； I'm better now；〃 went on Mr。 Damon； when Tom had given
him a glass of water。 〃Bless my paper weight！ The dru