ead any writing, or printing either. His
education had been very limited, but one could show him, say, a printed
sign and tell him it read "Danger" or "Five miles to Branchville," or
anything like that, and the next time he saw it, Eradicate would know
what that sign said. He seemed to fix a picture of it in his mind,
though the letters and figures by themselves meant nothing to him. So
when Tom told him the envelope contained the name and address of Miss
Nestor, Eradicate needed nothing more.

He rummaged about in some odds and ends in the corner of the
laboratory, and brought out a strong, wooden box, which had a cover
that screwed down.

"Dat'll be de ticket!" Eradicate exclaimed. "De mahogany present will
jest fit." Eradicate took some excelsior to pad the box, and then,
dropping inside it the gift, already wrapped in tissue paper, he
proceeded to screw on the cover.

There was something printed in red letters on the outside box, but
Eradicate could not read, so it did not trouble him.

"Dat Miss Nestor shore will laik her present," he murmured. "An' I'll
be mighty keerful ob it' laik Massa Tom tole me. He wouldn't trust dat
big lummox Koku wif anyt'ing laik dis."

Screwing on the cover, and putting a piece of wrapping paper outside
the rough, wooden box, with the letter in his hand, Eradicate, full of
his own importance, set off for Miss Nestor's house. Tom had not
returned from the telephone, over which he was talking to Mr. Titus.

The message was an important one. The contractor said he had received
word from his brother in Peru that his presence was urgently needed
there.

"Could you arrange to get off sooner than we planned, Tom?" asked Mr.
Titus. "I am afraid something has happened down there. Have you sent
the first shipment of explosive?"

"Yes, that went three days ago. It ought to arrive at Lima soon after
we do. Why yes, I can start to-night if we have to. I'll find out if
Mr. Damon can be with us on such short notice."

"I wish you would," came from Mr. Titus. "And say, Tom, do you think
you could take that giant Koku with you?"

"Why?"

"Well, I think he'd come in handy. There are some pretty rough
characters in those Andes Mountains, and your big friend might be
useful."

"All right. I was thinking of it, anyhow. Glad you mentioned it. Now
I'll call up Mr. Damon, and I'll let you know, in an hour or so, if he
can make it."

"Bless my hair brush, yes, Tom!" exclaimed the eccentric man