g bank clerk did appear to
have a salutary effect on the surly farmer. His manner changed at once
and his grin faded.

"I don't know nothing about Tom Swift or any of your friends," he said.
"I've got my farm work to do, and I do it. It's hard enough to earn a
living these war times without taking part in plots. I haven't seen Tom
Swift since the trouble he made about my barn."

"Then he hasn't been here to-day?" asked Ned.

"No; and not for a good many days."

Ned looked at Mr. Damon, and the two exchanged uneasy glances. Tom had
certainly started for the Kanker farm, and indeed had come to within a
few miles of it. That much was certain, as testified to by a number of
residents along the route from Shopton, who had seen the young inventor
passing in his car.

Now it appeared he had not arrived. The changed air of the farmer
seemed to indicate that he was speaking the truth. Mr. Damon and Ned
were inclined to believe him. If they had any last, lingering doubts in
the matter, they were dispelled when Mr. Kanker said:

"You can search the place if you like. I haven't any reason to feel
friendly toward you, but I certainly don't want to get into trouble
with the Government. Look around all you like."

"No, we'll take your word for it," said Ned, quickly concluding that
now they had got the farmer where they wanted him, they could gain more
by an appearance of friendliness than by threats or harsh words. "Then
you haven't seen him, either?"

"Not a sign of him."

"One thing more," went on Tom's chum, "and then we'll look farther.
Weren't you induced by a man named Simpson, or one named Blakeson, to
make the demand of three thousand dollars' damage for your barn?"

"No, it wasn't anybody of either of those names," admitted Mr. Kanker,
evidently a bit put out by the question.

"It was some one, though, wasn't it?" insisted Ned.

"Waal, a man did come to me the day the barn was smashed, and just
afore it happened, and said an all-fired big traction engine was headed
this way, and that a young feller who was half crazy was running it.
This man--I don't know who he was, being a stranger to me--said if the
engine ran into any of my property and did damages I should collect for
it on the spot, or hold the machine.

"Sure enough, that's what happened, and I did it. That man had an auto,
and he brought me and some of my men out to the smashed barn. That's
all I know about it."

"I thought some one put you up to