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〃I don't blame you；〃 agreed Tom。 〃I never knew him to act that way
before。 But I'll go to the gate with you； and Koku will behave him self。 I
am sorry〃
〃Don't mention it ！〃 broke in the picture man。 〃It was worth all I
suffered； if you go； and I know you will。 Don't trouble yourself to come
out。 I can find my way； and if your giant comes after me； I'll call for help。〃
He hurried out before Tom could follow； and； hearing the gate click a
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little later； and no call for help coming； our hero concluded that his visitor
had gotten safely away。
〃Well； what am I going to do about it？〃 mused Tom； as he resumed
work on his silent motor。 He had not been long engaged in readjusting
some of the valves； when he was again interrupted。
This time it was his chum； Ned Newton； who entered； and； as Ned was
well known to the giant； nothing happened。
〃Well； what's up； Tom？〃 asked Ned。
〃Why； did you notice anything unusual？〃 asked Tom。
〃I saw Koku standing at the gate a while ago； looking down the road at
a short stout man； with a red tie。 Your giant seemed rather excited about
something。〃
〃Oh； yes。 I'll tell you about it；〃 and Tom related the details of Mr。
Period's visit。
〃Are you going to take his offer？〃 asked Ned。
〃I've got until tomorrow to make up my mind。 What would you do；
Ned？〃
〃Why； I'd take it in a minute； if I knew how to make an electric camera。
I suppose it has to be a very speedy one； to take the kind of pictures he
wants。 Wait； hold on； I've just thought of a joke。 It must be a swift camera…
…catch onyou're Swift； and you make a swift camera； see the point？〃
〃I do；〃 confessed Tom； with a laugh。 〃Well； Ned； I've been thinking it
over； but I can't decide right away。 I will tomorrow night； though。〃
〃Then I'm coming over； and hear what it is。 If you decide to go； maybe
you'll take me along。〃
〃I certainly will； and Mr。 Damon； too。〃
〃How about the giant？〃
〃Well； I guess there'll be room for him。 But I haven't decided yet。 Hand
me that wrench over there； will you；〃 and then Tom and Ned began talking
about the new apparatus on which the young inventor was working。
True to his promise Mr。 Period called the next evening。 He found Tom；
Ned and Mr。 Swift in the library； talking over various matters。
〃Well； Tom； have you made up your mind？〃 asked the caller； when
Mrs。 Baggert； the housekeeper； had shown him into the room。 〃I hope you
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have； and I hope it is favorable to me。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Tom slowly； 〃I've thought it all over； and I have decided
that I will〃
At that moment there was a loud shouting outside the house； and the
sound of some one running rapidly through the garden that was just
outside the low library windowa garden now buried deep under snow。
〃What's that？〃 cried Ned； jumping to his feet。
〃That was Koku's voice；〃 replied Tom； 〃and I guess he was chasing
after some one。〃
〃They'll need help if that giant gets hold of them；〃 spoke Mr。 Period
solemnly； while the noise outside increased in volume。
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CHAPTER IV
HELD FAST
〃Here； Tom！ Come back！ Where are you going？〃 cried aged Mr。
Swift； as his son started toward the window。
〃I'm going to see what's up； and who it is that Koku is chasing；〃
replied the young inventor。
As he spoke he opened the window； which went all the way down to
the floor。 He stepped out on a small balcony； put his hand on the railing；
and was about to leap over。 Back of him was his father； Mr。 Period and
Ned。
〃Come back！ You may get hurt！〃 urged Mr。 Swift。 He had aged rapidly
in the last few months； and had been obliged to give up most of his
inventive work。 Naturally； he was very nervous about his son。
〃Don't worry； dad； replied the youth。 〃I'm not in much danger when
Koku is around。〃
〃That's right； agreed the moving picture man。 〃I'd sooner have that
giant look after me than half a dozen policemen。〃
The noise had now grown fainter； but the sound of the pursuit could
still be heard。 Koku was shouting in his hearty tones； and there was the
noise of breaking twigs as the chase wound in and out of the garden
shrubbery。
Tom paused a moment； to let his eyes get somewhat used to the
darkness。 There was a crescent moon； that gave a little light； and the snow
on the ground made it possible to notice objects fairly well。
〃See anything？〃 asked Ned； as he joined his chum on the balcony。
〃No； but I'm going to have a closer look。 Here goes！〃 and Tom leaped
to the ground。
〃I'm with you；〃 added Ned； as he followed。
Then came another voice； shouting：
〃Dat's de way！ Catch him！ I'se comm'； I is！ Ef we gits him we'll tie
him up； an' let Boomerang walk on him！〃
〃Here comes Eradicate；〃 announced Tom； with a look back toward his
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chum； and a moment later the aged colored man； who had evidently
started on the chase with Koku； but who had been left far behind； swung
totteringly around the corner of the house。
〃Did ye cotch him； Massa Tom？〃 asked Eradicate。 〃Did ye cotch de
raskil？〃
〃Not yet； Rad。 But Koku is after him。 Who was he； and what did he
do？〃
〃Didn't do nuffin yit； Massa Tom； 'case as how he didn't git no
chance；〃 replied the colored man； as he hurried along as rapidly as he
could beside the two youths。 〃Koku and I was too quick for him。 Koku an'
me was a…sittin' in my shack； sort of talkin' togedder； when we hears a
racket neah de chicken house。 I'se mighty partial t' de chickens； an' I didn't
want nobody t' 'sturb 'em。 Koku was jes' de same； an' when we hears dat
noise； up we jumps； an' gits t' chasm。' He runned dis way； an' us was arter
him； but land lub yo'； ole Eradicate ain't so spry as he uster be an' Koku an'
de chicken thief got ahead ob me。 Leastwise he ain't no chicken thief yit；
'case as how he didn't git in de coop； but he meant t' be one； jes' de same。〃
〃Are you sure he was after the chickens？〃 asked Tom； with quick
suspicion in his mind； for； several times of late； unscrupulous persons had
tried to enter his shop； to get knowledge of his valuable inventions before
they were patented。
〃Course he were arter de chickens；〃 replied Eradicate。 〃But he didn't
git none。〃
〃Come on； Ned！〃 cried Tom； breaking into a run。 〃I want to catch
whoever this was。 Did you see him； Rad？〃
〃Only jes' had a glimpse ob his back。〃
〃Well； you go back to the house and tell father and Mr。 Period about it。
Ned and I will go on with Koku。 I hope to get the fellow。〃
〃Why； Tom？〃 asked his chum。
〃Because I think he was after bigger game than chickens。 My noiseless
motor； for the new airship； is nearly complete； and it may have been some
one trying to get that。 I received an offer from a concern the other day；
who wished to purchase it； and； when I refused to sell； they seemed rather
put out。〃
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The two lads raced on； while Eradicate tottered back to the house；
where he found Mr。 Swift and the picture man awaiting him。
〃I guess he got away；〃 remarked Ned； after he and his chum had
covered nearly the length of the big garden。
〃I'm afraid so；〃 agreed Tom。 〃I can't hear Koku any more。 Still； I'm not
going to give up。〃
Pantingly they ran on； and； a little later； they met the big man coming
back。
〃Did he get away？〃 asked Tom。 〃Yes； Mr。 Tom； he scaped me all
right。〃
〃Escaped you mean； Koku。 Well； never mind。 You did your best。〃
〃I would like to have