What's that? Tell him to come home? Why, he isn't here. I just came in
and--what--wait a minute!"

With a rather strange look on his face Tom covered the mouth-piece of
the instrument with his hand, and, turning to his father, asked:

"Is Mr. Nestor here?"

"No," replied Mr. Swift slowly, "He was here, though. He came a little
while after you and Mr. Damon started off in the Air Scout. But he
didn't stay. Said he wanted to see you about something and would call
again."

"Oh," remarked the young man. "I didn't know he had been there."

"I meant to tell you," said Mrs. Baggert; "but getting the lunch made
me forget it, I guess."

Tom uncovered the transmitter of the telephone again, and spoke to Mary
Nestor.

"Hello," he said. "I was wrong, Mary. Your father was here, but he left
when he found I wasn't at home. How long ago? Wait a minute and I'll
inquire.

"How long ago did Mr. Nestor leave?" asked the young inventor of the
housekeeper. "Nearly an hour," he said into the instrument, after he
had received the answer. Then, after listening a moment, he added:
"Yes, I guess he'll be home soon now. Probably stopped down town to see
some of his friends. Yes, Mr. Damon and I tried out the Air Scout. Yes,
she worked pretty well, for a starter, but there is something yet to be
done. Oh, yes, now I'll have time to come over to see you, and take you
for a ride too. We won't have to talk through a speaking tube, either.
Tell your father I am sorry I was out when he called. I'll come to see
him to-morrow, if he wants me to. Yes--yes. I guess so!" and Tom
laughed, it being evident that his remarks at the end of the
conversation had to do with personal matters.

"A telegram has come for Mr. Nestor and they were anxious that he
should get it," Tom explained to his little audience as he hung up the
receiver and put aside the telephone. "I wonder what he wanted to see
me about?"

"He didn't say," replied Mrs. Baggert.

Mr. Damon, Tom, and his father remained in conversation a little while
longer, and the eccentric man was thinking that it was about time for
him to return home, when the telephone rang again.

"Hello," answered Tom, as he was nearest the instrument. "Oh, yes,
Mary, this is he. What's that? Your father hasn't reached home yet? And
your mother is worried? Oh tell her there is no cause for alarm. As I
said, he probably stopped on his way to see some friends."

Tom listened for perhaps half a minute to a talk