Ned said reflectively, "the longer Lewis keeps off
you, the more suspicious I should be."

"You think he is a bad citizen, do you?"

"And then some, as the boys say out here," replied Ned. "I wouldn't
trust that man any farther than I would a nest of hornets or a shedding
rattlesnake."

"I am inclined to believe, with you, Ned, that Lewis is hatching up
something and is keeping mighty whist about it. I sounded Mr.
Bartholomew on the idea and he, too, is puzzled."

"I guess he knows that hombre," grumbled Ned.

"Mr. Bartholomew admits that several roads have sent representatives to
make inquiries about my locomotive. They have got wind of it, and,
after all, most railroads work in unison. What means progress for one
is progress for all."

"That same rule does not seem to apply in the case of the H. & P. A.
and the H. & W.," remarked Ned.

"No. They are out and out rivals. And Lewis and his gang have done this
road dirt--no two ways about that. But when I am convinced that my
locomotive has got all the speed and power contracted for, Mr.
Bartholomew wants to invite a bunch of his brother railroaders to see
the tests--to ride in the Hercules Three-Oughts-One, in fact."

"How about it? You going to agree? Suppose they have some inventive
sharp along who will be able to steal some of your mechanical
contrivances--in his head, I mean," and Ned seemed quite suddenly
anxious.

"I had thought of that. But before the test I shall send my blueprints
to Washington. Our patent attorney there has already filed tentative
plans and applied for certain patents that I consider completed. Don't
fret. I'll make it impossible for anybody to steal our patents legally."

"Yes! But illegally?"

"That we cannot help in any case, and you know it," Tom said. "If some
road tries to build anything like the Hercules Three-Oughts-One for the
first two years without arranging with the Swift Construction Company,
you know that that railroad can be made to suffer in the courts, and
you are the boy, Ned, to put them over the jumps for it."

"Sure," grumbled his chum. "It's always up to me to save the day."

"Exactly," chuckled Tom. "And in your character of life saver, do look
out for anybody who looks suspicious hanging about the Hercules
Three-Oughts-One. I'll take care of rival inventors. You and Koku keep
your eyes peeled for the H. & W. spies. Especially for that Andy
O'Malley. I feel that he will again show up. Maybe by 'the pric