saster. In his sky racer Tom broke all records for speed, and when he
went to Africa to rescue a missionary, had it not been for his electric
rifle the tide of battle would have gone against him and his party.

Marvelous, indeed, were the adventures underground, which came to Tom
when he went to look for the city of gold, but the treasure there was
not more valuable than the platinum which Tom sought in dreary Siberia
by means of his air glider.

Tom thought his end had come when he fell into captivity among the
giants; but even that turned out well, and he brought two of the giants
away with him. Koku, one of the two giants, became devotedly attached
to the lad, much to the disgust of Eradicate Sampson, the old negro who
had worked for the Swifts for a generation, and who, with his mule
Boomerang, "eradicated" from the place as much dirt as possible.

With his wizard camera Tom did much to advance the cause of science.
His great searchlight was of great help to the United States government
in putting a stop to the Canadian smugglers, while his giant cannon was
a distinct advance in ordnance, not excepting the great German guns
used in the European war.

When Tom perfected his photo telephone the last objection to rendering
telephonic conversation admissible evidence in a law court was done
away with, for by this invention a person was able to see, as well as
to hear, over the telephone wire. One practically stood face to face
with the person, miles away, to whom one was talking.

The volume immediately preceding this present one is called: "Tom Swift
and His Aerial Warship." The young inventor perfected a marvelous
aircraft that was the naval terror of the seas, and many governments,
recognizing what an important part aircraft were going to play in all
future conflicts, were anxious to secure Tom's machine. But he was true
to his own country, though his rivals were nearly successful in their
plots against him.

The Mars, which was the name of Tom's latest craft, proved to be a
great success, and the United States government purchased it. It was
not long after the completion of this transaction that the events
narrated in the first chapter of this book took place.

Mr. Damon and Tom had been firm friends ever since the episode of the
motor cycle, and the eccentric gentleman (who blessed so many things)
often went with Tom on his trips. Besides Mary Nestor, Tom had other
friends. The one, after Miss Nestor, for w