he
president of the H. & W., was not one of those who attended.

Of course, Lewis soon got out of jail on bail. But the accusation
against him was a serious one. His guilt would be proved by his own
employee, Andy O'Malley, who was in a hospital for the time being.

O'Malley had got enough. He had turned State's evidence and implicated
his employer. Influential and wealthy as Lewis was, he could not escape
trial with O'Malley when the time came.

"One thing sure, Lewis has got all he wants. He isn't likely to try any
more crooked work against the H. & P. A.," Mr. Bartholomew said. "I can
thank you for that, Torn. Swift, as well as for your invention. You
have saved the day for my railroad."

"You can thank Koku," chuckled Tom. "If he hadn't spied and identified
'Big Feet,' we might not have caught O'Malley, and, through O'Malley,
implicated Montagne Lewis. You give Koku a new suit of clothes, Mr.
Bartholomew, and we will call it square. But be sure and have the
pattern of the goods loud enough."

This conversation took place while the party of guests was gathering to
board Mr. Bartholomew's private car, attached to the Hercules 0001. Mr.
Damon was one of the guests and so was Ned Newton. Tom took into the
cab a crew of H. & P. A. men who would hereafter drive the huge
locomotive and take care of her.

The semaphore signal dropped and the electric locomotive started as
quietly as a baby going to sleep! There was not a jar as the train
moved off the siding and over the switches to the main line.

The dispatcher had arranged a clear road for them. Tom knew that he had
a free track ahead of him--a level of ninety-odd miles to the Hammon
yards. As he passed the Hendrickton shops he touched the siren lever
for a moment, and the shrill voice of the Hercules 0001 bade the town
good-bye.

The next minute the visitors in the private car grabbed out their
split-second watches and began to murmur. The electric locomotive had
begun to travel!

Chapter XXV

Speed and Success

"What town is that?"

"Looks like a splotch of paint on a board fence, we went by so quick."

"I've lost count, Bartholomew. Where are we?"

Ned Newton listened to these comments from the visiting railroad men
with delight. In reply to a question of his neighbor, the grinning
financial manager of the Swift Construction Company paid:

"No, sir. That isn't a picket fence. It's the telegraph poles you see,
and they are no nearer together