had lost his fortune and had to begin
all over again. The Foger homestead was closed up, and Andy ceased
to be a fixture of the town, for which Tom and Ned were very glad.

But of late Andy had been seen in Shopton several times, and it was
noticed that, on one or two occasions, he had a man with him--a man
who seemed to have plenty of money--a man with an air about him not
unlike that of Mr. Preston. A man with what newspaper men would have
called a circus or theatrical "air."

This man had visited Shopton soon after Mr. Preston made the giant
proposition to Tom, and before meeting Andy Foger had made special
inquiries about Tom Swift.

"Who are the people who have a hard feeling against this young
inventor in town?" the man had asked of several persons.

"Tom Swift has more friends than enemies," was the general reply.

"Oh, surely he must have some enemies," the man insisted. "He's been
running his aeroplanes and autos around town a long time, and surely
there must be some one who has a grudge against him. I suppose he
has lots of friends, but who are his enemies?"

Then he learned about Andy Foger, and, hearing that Andy now lived
in a nearby town, the man had at once gone there. It was not long
before he reappeared--and the red-haired bully was with him.

"And you haven't learned anything yet, Andy?" asked this mysterious
man one afternoon, when he met his tool in a quiet resort in
Shopton.

"Nothing yet, Mr. Waydell. But give me a little more time."

"Time! You've had more time now than you need. When I agreed to pay
you for finding out what part of South America Tom Swift would head
for to get some sort of a freak or animal for Preston's circus I
thought you'd make good quicker than this."

"So did I. But you see Tom is suspicious of me, and so is his chum,
Ned Newton. I can't go to them, and if I'm seen sneaking around the
house or shop, after what happened last, I'll be driven off."

"Well, it's up to you. I paid you to get the information and I
expect you to do it. Why don't you tackle that old colored man whom,
I understand, works for him? He ought to be simple enough to give
the game away."

"Eradicate? I will! I never thought of that I'll get that
information for you, Mr. Waydell, in a few days."

"You'd better, if you want to keep that money."

The two plotters parted, and that very afternoon gave Andy the
chance he wanted. He met Eradicate on his way to the village where
he was going aft