ter to take up his attention. He shut himself into his private
experimental workshop and laboratory at the works each day. He did not
even come out for lunch, letting Rad bring him down some sandwiches and
a thermos bottle of cool milk.

"The young boss is milling over something new," the men said, and
grinned at each other. They were proud of Tom and faithful to his
interests.

Time was when there had been traitors in the works; but unfaithful
hands had been weeded out. There was not a man who drew a pay envelope
from the Swift Construction Company who would not have done his best to
save Tom and his father trouble. Such a thing as a strike, or labor
troubles of any kind, was not thought of there.

So Tom knew that whatever he did, or whatever plans he drew, in his
private room, he was safely guarded. Yet he always took a portfolio
home with him at night, for after dinner he frequently continued his
work of the day. Naturally during this first week he did not get far in
any problem connected with the proposed electric locomotive. There
were, however, rough drafts and certain schedules that had to do with
the matter jotted down.

It was almost twelve at night. Tom had sat up in his own room after his
father had retired, and after the household was still.

Eradicate was in bed and snoring under the roof, Tom knew. Just where
Koku was, it would have been hard to tell. Although a fine and
penetrating rain was falling, the giant might be roaming about the
waste land surrounding the stockade of the works. The elements had no
terrors for him.

Tom locked his portfolio and stepped into his bathroom to wash his
hands before retiring. Before he snapped on the electric light over the
basin he chanced to glance through the newly set windowpane which had
replaced the one Rad had shattered in escaping threatened impalement on
Koku's spear.

Although the clouds were thick and the rain was falling, there was a
certain humid radiance upon the roof of the porch under the bathroom
window. At least, the wet roof glistened so that any moving figure on
or beyond it was visible.

"What's that?" muttered Tom, and he sank down lower than the sill and
crept slowly to the window. He merely raised himself until his eyes
were on a level with the sill.

Coming up over the edge of the porch roof was a bulky figure. It was
so dimly outlined at first that Tom could scarcely be sure that it was
that of a man.

However, it was not possibl