cally
annihilate distance and time, and there were many weird pictures,
showing him flying along without touching the ground, in a car, the
pictorial construction of which was at once fearful and wonderful.

Tom and his friends laughed at the yarn, at first, but it soon had
undesirable results. The young inventor had desired to keep secret the
fact that he was building a new electric vehicle, and a novel storage
battery, but the article in the paper aroused considerable interest.
Many persons came a long distance, hoping for a sight of the wonderful
car, as pictured in the Sunday supplement, but they had to be denied.
The news, thus leaking out, kept the Swift shops almost constantly
besieged by many curious ones, who sought, by various means, to gain
admission. Finally Tom and his father, after posting large signs,
warning persons to keep away, added others to the effect that
undesirable visitors might find themselves unexpectedly shocked by
electricity, if they ventured too close. This had the desired effect,
though the wires which were strung about carried such a mild charge
that it would not have harmed a child. Then the only bothersome
characters were the boys of the town, and, fearless and careless lads,
they persisted in hanging around the Swift homestead, in the hope of
seeing Tom dash away at the rate of five hundred miles an hour, which
one enthusiastic writer predicted he would do.

"I've got a plan!" exclaimed Tom one day when the boys had been
particularly troublesome.

"What is it?" asked his father.

"We'll hire Eradicate Sampson to stand guard with a bucket of
whitewash. He'll keep the boys away."

The plan was put into operation, and Eradicate and his mule, Boomerang,
were installed on the premises.

"Deed an' Ah'll keep dem lads away," promised the colored man. "Ah'll
splash white stuff all ober 'em, if dey comes traipsin' around me."

He was as good as his word, and, when one or two lads had received a
dose of the stuff, which punishment was followed by more severe from
home, for having gotten their clothes soiled, the nuisance ceased, to a
certain extent. Sam Snedecker and Pete Bailey were two who received a
liberal sprinkling of the lime, and they vowed vengeance on Tom.

"And Andy Foger will help us, too," added Sam, as he withdrew, after an
encounter with Eradicate.

"Doan't let dat worry yo', Mistah Swift!" exclaimed the darkey. "Jest
let dat low-down-good-fo-nuffin' Andy Foger come