d me, Tom. Bless my finger nails! But there seems to be
something wrong here."

"Show him in, Rad!" called Tom.

"Massa Gen'l Herodotus Waller!" exclaimed the colored man in pompous
tones, as he opened the door for the officer, clad in khaki, whom Tom
had last seen at Sandy Hook.

"Ah, how do you do, Mr. Swift!" exclaimed General Waller, extending his
hand. "I got your letter inviting me to a test of your new explosive. I
hope I am not too late."

Tom stared at him in amazement.

CHAPTER XI

FAILURE AND SUCCESS

"You--you got my letter!" stammered Tom, holding out his hand for a
missive which the General extended. "I--I don't exactly understand. My
letter?"

"Yes, certainly," went on the officer. "It was very kind of you to
remember me after--well, to be perfectly frank with you, I did resent,
a little, your remarks about my unfortunate gun. But I see you are of a
forgiving spirit."

"But I didn't write you any letter!" exclaimed Tom, feeling more and
more puzzled.

"You did not? What is this?" and the General unfolded a paper. Tom
glanced over it. Plainly it was a request for the General to be present
at the test on that day, and it was signed with Tom Swift's name.

But as soon as the young inventor saw it, he knew that it was a forgery.

"I never sent that letter!" he exclaimed. "Look, it is not at all like
my handwriting," and he took up some papers from a near-by table and
quickly compared some of his writing with that in the letter. The
difference was obvious.

"Then who did send it?" asked General Waller. "If someone has been
playing a joke on me it will not be well for him!" and he drew himself
up pompously.

"If a joke has been played--and it certainly seems so," spoke Tom, "I
had no hand in it. And did you come all the way from Sandy Hook because
of this letter?"

"No, I am visiting friends in Waterford," said the officer, naming the
town where Mr. Damon lived. "My cousin is Mr. Pierce Watkins."

"Bless my doorbell!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "I know him! He lives just
around the corner from me. Bless my very thumb prints!"

General Waller stared at Mr. Damon in some amazement, and resumed:

"Owing to the unfortunate accident to my gun, and to some slight
injuries I sustained, I found my health somewhat impaired. I obtained
a furlough, and came to visit my cousin. The doctor recommended open
air exercise, and so I brought with me my motor-cycle, as I am fond of
that means of locom