x, better connections, and a more powerful primary
current there is no reason why I could not get a light that would
make objects more plainly visible than in the daytime, even in the
darkest night, and at a great distance."

"But what would be the object of such a light, Tom?"

"To play upon the smugglers, dad, and catch them as they come over
the border in the airship."

"Smugglers, Tom! You don't mean to tell me you are going away again,
and after smugglers?"

"Well, dad, I've had an offer, and I think I'll take it. There's no
money in it, but I think it is my duty to do my best for Uncle Sam.
The one thing that bothered me was how to get a view of the airship
at night. This searchlight has solved the problem--that is if I can
make a permanent invention of this accident, and I think I can."

"Oh, Tom, I hate to think of you going away from home again," said
his father a bit sadly.

"Don't worry, father. I'm not going far this time. Only to the
Canadian border, and that's only a few hundred miles. But I want to
see if I can cut the current off, and turn it on again. When a thing
happens by accident you never know whether you can get just exactly
the same conditions again."

Tom shut off the current from the dynamo, and the powerful beam of
light died out. Then he turned it on once more, and it glowed as
brightly as before. He did this several times, and each time it was
a success.

"Hurrah!" cried Tom. "To-morrow I'll start on my latest invention, a
great searchlight!"

CHAPTER IX

"BEWARE OF THE COMET!"

"Well, Tom, what are you up to now?"

Ned Newton peered in the window of the shop at his chum, who was
busy over a bench.

"This is my latest invention, Ned. Come on in."

"Looks as though you were going to give a magic lantern show. Or is
it for some new kinds of moving pictures? Say, do you remember the
time we gave a show in the barn, and charged a nickel to come in?
You were the clown, and--"

"I was not! You were the clown. I was part of the elephant. The
front end, I think."

"Oh. so you were. I'm thinking of another one. But what are you up
to now? Is it a big magic lantern?"

Ned came over toward the bench, in front of which Tom stood, fitting
together sheets of heavy brass in the form of a big square box. In
one side there was a circular opening, and there were various wheels
and levers on the different sides and on top. The interior contained
parobolic curved mirrors.

"It