say no one come too
close."

"Huh! He didn't go fo' t' mean me!" exclaimed Eradicate. "I kin go
anywheres; I kin!"

"Not here!" and Koku interposed his giant frame between the old man and
the first step leading into the secret building. "You no come in here."

"Who say so?"

"Me--I say so! I on guard. I what you call special
policeman--detectiff--no let enemies in!"

"Huh! You's a hot deteckertiff, yo' is!" snorted Eradicate. "Anyhow,
dem orders don't mean me! I kin go anywhere, I kin!"

"Not here!" said Koku firmly. "Master Tom say let nobody come near but
workmen who have got writing-paper. You no got!"

"No, but I kin git one, an' I's gwine t' hab it soon! I'll see Massa
Tom, dat's whut I will. I guess yo' ain't de only deteckertiff on de
place. I kin go on guard, too!" and Eradicate, dropping his rake,
strolled away in his temper to seek the young inventor.

"Well, Rad, what is it?" asked Tom, as he met the colored man. The
young inventor was on his way to the mysterious shop. "What is
troubling you?"

"It's dat dar giant. He done says as how he's on guard--a
deteckertiff--an' I can't go nigh dat buildin' t' sweep up de refuse."

"Well, that's right, Rad. I'd prefer that you keep away. I'm doing
some special work in there and it's--"

"Am it dangerous, Massa Tom? I ain't askeered! Anybody whut kin drive
mah mule Boomerang--"

"I know, Eradicate, but this isn't so dangerous. It's just secret, and
I don't want too many people about. You can go anywhere else except
there. Koku is on guard."

"Den can't I be, Massa Tom?" asked the colored man eagerly. "I kin
guard an' detect same as dat low-down, good-fo'-nuffin white trash
Koku!"

Tom hesitated.

"I suppose I could get you a sort of officer's badge," he mused, half
aloud.

"Dat's whut I want!" eagerly exclaimed Eradicate. "I ain't gwine hab
dat Koku--dat cocoanut--crowin' ober me! I kin guard an' detect as
good's anybody!"

And the upshot of it was that Eradicate was given a badge, and put on a
special post, far enough from Koku to keep the two from quarreling, and
where, even if he failed in keeping a proper lookout, the old servant
could do no harm by his oversight.

"It'll please him, and won't hurt us," said Tom to his father. "Koku
will keep out any prying persons."

"I suppose you are doing well to keep it a secret, Tom," said Mr.
Swift, "but it seems as if you might announce it soon."

"Perhaps we may, Dad, if all goes well. I've