financial manager, Tom Swift, but please don't ask
me to be a high-brow. I wasn't built for that."

"Nor I, Ned. The professor isn't going to lecture. He's only going to
talk, he says."

"What about?"

"He's going to try to induce me to join his expedition to the Copan
valley."

"Do you feel inclined to go?"

"No, Ned, I do not. I've got too many other irons in the fire. I
shall have to give the professor a polite but firm refusal."

"Well, maybe you're right, Tom; and yet that idol of
gold--GOLD--weighing how many pounds did you say?"

"Oh, you're thinking of its money value, Ned, old man!"

"Yes, I'd like to see what a big chunk of gold like that would bring.
It must be quite a nugget. But I'm not likely to get a glimpse of it
if you don't go with the professor."

"I don't see how I can go, Ned. But come over and meet the delightful
gentleman when he arrives. I expect him day after to-morrow."

"I'll be here," promised Ned; and then he went downtown to attend to
some matters connected with his new duties, which were much less
irksome than those he had had when he had been in the bank.

"Well, Tom, have you heard any more about your friend?" asked Ned, two
days later, as he came to the Swift home with some papers needing the
signature of the young inventor and his father.

"You mean----?"

"Professor Bumper."

"No, I haven't heard from him since he telephoned. But I guess he'll
be here all right. He's very punctual. Did you see anything of my
giant Koku as you came in?"

"Yes, he and Eradicate were having an argument about who should move a
heavy casting from one of the shops. Rad wanted to do it all alone,
but Koku said he was like a baby now."

"Poor Rad is getting old," said Tom with a sigh. "But he has been very
faithful. He and Koku never seem to get along well together."

Koku was an immense man, a veritable giant, one of two whom Tom had
brought back with him after an exciting trip to a strange land. The
giant's strength was very useful to the young inventor.

"Now Tom, about this business of leasing to the English Government the
right to manufacture that new explosive of yours," began Ned, plunging
into the business at hand. "I think if you stick out a little you can
get a better royalty price."

"But I don't want to gouge 'em, Ned. I'm satisfied with a fair profit.
The trouble with you is you think too much of money. Now----"

At that moment a voice was heard in the