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but I didn't take much notice。 Only I heard Mr。 Damon say： 'There's going
to be trouble if we can't realize on those bonds；' and then I came away。〃
〃Is that all he said？〃 asked Tom。
〃No； he said 'Bless my buttons；' or something like that； but he blesses
so many things I didn't pay much attention。〃
〃That's right；〃 agreed the lad。 〃But I wonder what the trouble is about？
I must go see。〃
As he passed along the hall； out of which his father's combined study
and library opened； the aged inventor came to the door。
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〃Is that you； Tom？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； Dad。〃
〃Come in here； if you haven't anything else to do。 Mr。 Damon is here。〃
Tom needed but a single glance at the faces of his father and Mr。
Damon to see that something was troubling the two。 The table in front of
them was littered with papers covered with rows of figures。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked Tom。
〃Well； I suppose I ought not to let it bother me； but it does；〃 replied his
father。
〃Something wrong with your patents； Dad？ Has the crowd of bad men
been bothering you again？〃
〃No； it isn't that。 It's trouble at the bank； Tom。〃
〃Has it been robbed again？〃 asked the lad quickly。 〃If it has I can
prove an alibi；〃 and he smiled at the recollection of the time he and Mr。
Damon had been accused of looting the vault； as told in 〃Tom Swift and
His Airship。〃
〃No； it hasn't been robbed in just that way；〃 put in Mr。 Damon。 〃But；
bless my shoe laces； it's almost as bad！ You see； Tom； since Mr。 Foger
started the new bank he's done his best to cripple the one in which your
father and I are interested。 I may say we are very vitally interested in it； for；
since the withdrawal of Foger and his associates； your father and I have
been elected directors。〃
〃I didn't know that；〃 remarked the lad。
〃No； I didn't tell you； because you were so busy on your electric car；〃
rejoined Mr。 Swift。 〃But Mr。 Damon and I； being both large depositors；
were asked to assume office； and； as I was not very busy on patent affairs；
I consented。〃
〃But what is the trouble？〃 inquired Tom。
〃I'm coming to it；〃 resumed Mr。 Damon。 〃Bless my check book； I'm
coming to it！ You see we have lost several good customers； by reason of
Foger opening the new bank。 That wouldn't have mattered so much； as
between your father and myself； and one or two others； we have enough
capital to carry on the business of the bank。 But there is a more serious
matter。 We hold a number of very good securities； but they are of a class
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hard to realize cash for； on short notice。 In other words they are not active
bonds； though they are issued by reliable concerns。 Then； too； the bank has
lost considerable money by not doing as much business as it formerly did。
In short we don't know just what to do； Tom； and your father and I were
discussing it； when you came in。〃
〃Do you need more money？〃 asked Tom。 〃I have some； that is my
share from the submarine treasure； and some I have allowed to accumulate
as royalties from my patents。 It's about ten thousand dollars； and you're
welcome to it。〃
〃Thank you； Tom；〃 spoke his father。 〃We may use your cash； but we'll
need a great deal more than that。〃
〃But why？〃 asked the lad。 〃I don't understand。 If you have good bonds；
can't you dispose of them； and get the money？〃
〃We could； Tom； yes； if we had time；〃 replied Mr。 Damon。 〃But to
throw the bonds on the market at short notice would mean that we would
not get a good price for them。 We would lose considerable。〃
〃But why do it in a hurry？〃
〃Because there is need of hurry；〃 responded Mr。 Swift。
〃That's it；〃 joined in Mr。 Damon。 〃We have to have cash in a hurry；
Tom； to meet pressing demands； and we don't just see our way clear to get
it。 I am trying to raise it on some private securities I own； but I can't get an
answer within several days。 Meanwhile the bank may fail； because of lack
of funds。 Of course no one would lose anything； ultimately； as we could go
into the hands of a receiver； and； eventually pay dollar for dollar。 Your
father and I； and some of the other directors； might lose a little； but the
depositors would not。 But your father and I don't like the idea of failing。
It's something I've never done； and I'm too old to start in now； bless my
cash ledger if I'm not！〃
〃And for the sake of my reputation in this community I don't want to
see the bank close its doors；〃 added Mr。 Swift。 〃It would give Foger too
good a chance to crow over us。〃
〃And you need cash in a hurry；〃 went on Tom。 〃How much？〃
〃Fifty thousand dollars at least；〃 replied Mr。 Damon。
〃And if you don't get it？〃
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The eccentric man shrugged his shoulders。
〃Well；〃 remarked Mr。 Swift musingly； 〃I don't see that we need worry
you about it； Tom。 Perhaps〃
Mr。 Swift was interrupted by a ring at the front door。 The three looked
at each other。 It was late for a caller； and Mrs。 Baggert had gone to bed。
〃I'll answer it；〃 volunteered Tom。 He switched on the electric light in
the hall； and opened the door。 He was confronted by Mr。 Pendergast； the
president of the bank。
〃Is your father in？〃 asked Mr。 Pendergast； and he seemed to be much
agitated。
〃Yes； he is；〃 replied the lad。 〃Come this way； please。〃
〃I want to see him on important business；〃 went on the president； as he
followed the young inventor。 〃I'm afraid I have bad news for him and Mr。
Damon。 Bad news； Tom； bad news；〃 and the aged banker's voice trembled。
Tom； with a chill of apprehension seeming to clutch his heart； threw open
the library door。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
CHAPTER XVII
A RUN ON THE BANK
〃Why； Mr。 Pendergast！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon； rising quickly as Tom
ushered in the aged president。 〃Whatever is the matter？ You here at this
hour？ Bless my trial balance！ Is anything wrong？
〃I'm afraid there is；〃 answered the bank head。 〃I have just received
word which made it necessary for me to see you both at once。 I'm glad
you're here； Mr。 Damon。〃
He sank wearily into a chair which Tom placed for him； and Mr。 Swift
asked：
〃Have you been able to raise any cash； Mr。 Pendergast？〃
〃No； I am sorry to say I have not； but I did not come here to tell you
that。 I have bad news for you。 As soon as we open our doors in the
morning； there will be a run on the bank。〃 〃A run on the bank？〃 repeated
Mr。 Swift。
〃The moment we begin business in the morning；〃 went on Mr。
Pendergast。
〃Bless my soul； then don't begin business！〃 cried Mr。 Damon。
〃We must；〃 insisted Mr。 Pendergast。 〃To keep the doors closed would
be a confession at once that we have failed。 No； it is better to open them；
and stand the run as long as we can。 When we have exhausted our cash〃
he paused。
〃Well？〃 asked Mr。 Damon。
〃Then we'll failthat's all。〃
〃But we mustn't let the bank fail！〃 cried Mr。 Swift。 〃I am willing to put
some of my personal fortune into the bank capital in order to save it。 So is
my son here。〃
〃That's right；〃 chimed in Tom heartily。 〃All I've got。 I'm not going to
let Andy Foger get ahead of us； nor his father either。〃
〃I'll help to the limit of my ability；〃 added Mr。 Damon。
〃I appreciate all that；〃 continued the president。 〃But the unfortunate
part of it is that we need cash。 You gentlemen； like myself； probably； have
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your money tied up in stocks and bonds。 It is hard to get cash quickly； and
we must have cash as soon as we open in the morning； to pay the
depositors who will come flocking to the doors。 We must prepare for a run
on the bank。〃
〃How do you know there will be a run？〃 asked th