“What is the value of these stones?” asked Tom.
Mr. Roberts looked at his gem expert.
“It is difficult to say,” was the answer of the man who had handed Tom the gems. “They are so far superior to the usual run of diamonds, that I feel justified in saying that the cut one would bring fifteen hundred dollars, anywhere. In fact, I would offer that for it. The other is larger, though what it would lose in cutting would be hard to say. I should say it was worth two thousand dollars as it is now.”
“Thirty-five hundred dollars for these two stones!” exclaimed Tom.
“They are worth every cent of it,” declared Mr. Roberts. “Do you want to sell?”
Tom shook his head. He could scarcely believe the good news. Mr. Jenks had told the truth. Now the young inventor could go with him to seek the diamond makers.
“Can you get any more of these?” went on Mr. Roberts.
“I think so—that is I don’t know—I am going to try,” answered the lad.
“Then if you succeed I wish you would sell us some,” fairly begged the proprietor of the store.
“I will,” promised Tom, but he little knew what lay before him, or perhaps he would not have made that promise. He thanked the diamond merchant for his kindness, and arranged to have the cut stone set in a pin for Miss Nestor. The uncut gem Tom took away with him.
Thinking of many things, and wondering how best to start in his airship Red Cloud for the mysterious Phantom Mountain, Tom hurried back to where he had left the monoplane, wheeled it out, and was soon soaring through the air toward Shopton.
“I think I’ll go with Mr. Jenks,” he decided, as he prepared for a landing in the open space near his aeroplane shed. “It will be a risky trip, perhaps, but I’ve taken risks before. When Mr. Jenks comes tonight I’ll tell him I’ll help him to get his rights, and discover the secret of the diamond makers.”
As Tom was wheeling the Butterfly into the shed, Eradicate came out to help him.
“Dere’s a gen’man here to see yo’, Massa Tom,” said the colored man.
“Who is it?”
“I dunno. He keep askin’ ef yo’ de lad what done bust up Earthquake Island, an’ send lightnin’ flashes up to de sky, an’ all sech questions laik dat.”
“It isn’t Mr. Damon; is it, Rad? He hasn’t been around in some time.”
“No, Massa Tom, it ain’t him. I knows dat blessin’ man good an’ proper. I jest wish he’d bless mah mule Boomerang some day, an’ take some oh de temper out ob him. No, sah, it ain’t Massa Damon. De gen’man’s in de airship shed waitin’ fo’ you.”
“In the airship shed! No strangers are allowed in there, Rad.”
“I knows it, Massa Tom, but he done persisted his se’f inter it, an’ he wouldn’t come out when I told him; an’ your pa an’ Mr. Jackson ain’t home.”
“I’ll see about this,” exclaimed Tom, striding to the large shed, where the Red Cloud was kept. As he entered it he saw a man looking over the wonderful craft.
“Did you want to see me?” asked Tom, sharply, for he did not like strangers prowling around.
“I did, and I apologize for entering here, but I am interested in airships, and I thought you might want to hire a pilot. I am in need of employment, and I have had considerable to do with balloons and aeroplanes, but never with an airship like this, which combines the two features. Do you wish to hire any one.”
“No, I don’t!” replied Tom, sharply, for he did not like the looks of the man.
“I was told that you did,” was the rather surprising answer.
“Who told you?”
The man looked all around the shed, before replying, as if fearful of being overheard. Then, stepping close to Tom, he whispered:
“Mr. Jenks told me!”
“Mr. Jenks?” Tom could not conceal his astonishment.
“Yes. Mr. Barcoe Jenks. But I did not come here to merely ask you for employment. I would like to hire out to you, but the real object of my visit was to say this to you.”
The man approached still closer to Tom, and, in a lower voice, and one that could scarcely be heard, he fairly hissed:
“Don’t go with Barcoe Jenks to seek the diamond makers!”
Then, before Tom could put out a hand to detain him, had the lad so wished, the man turned suddenly, and fairly ran from the shed.
CHAPTER VI
MR. DAMON IS ON HAND
The young inventor stood almost spellbound for a few moments. Then recovering himself he made a dash for the door through which the mysterious man had disappeared. Tom saw him sprinting down the road, and was half-minded to take after him, but a cooler thought warned him that he had better not.
“He may be one of those men who are on Mr. Jenks’ trail,” reasoned Tom, in which case it might not be altogether safe to attempt to stop him, and make him explain. Or he may be a lunatic, and in that case it wouldn’t be altogether healthy to interfere with him.
“I’ll just let him go, and tell Mr. Jenks about him when he comes tonight. But I must warn Rad never to let him in here again. He might damage the airship.”
Calling to the colored man, Tom pointed to the stranger, who was almost out of sight down the road, and said earnestly:
“Rad, do you see that fellow?”
“I sho do, Massa Tom, but I sorter has t’ strain my eyes t’ do it. He’s goin’ laik my mule Boomerang does when he’s comm’ home t’ dinnah.”
“That’s right, Rad. Well, never let that man set foot inside our fence again! If he comes, and I’m home, call me. If I’m away, call dad or Mr. Jackson, and if you’re here alone, drive him away, somehow.”
“I will, Massa Tom!” exclaimed the colored man, earnestly, “an’ if I can’t do it alone, I’ll get Boomerang t’ help. Once let dat ar’ mule git his heels on a pusson, an’ dat pusson ain’t goin’ t’ come bodderin’ around any mo’—that is, not right away.”
“I believe you, Rad. Well, keep a lookout for him, and don’t let him in,” and with that Tom entered the house to think over matters. They were beginning to assume an aspect he did not altogether like. Not that Tom was afraid of danger, but he preferred to meet it in the open, and the warning, or threat, of the mysterious man disquieted him.
When Mr. Swift came home, a little later, his son told him of the midnight interview with Mr. Jenks, for, up to this time, the aged inventor was unaware of it, and Tom also gave an account of the diamonds, speaking of their value.
“And do you propose to go to Phantom Mountain, in search of the makers of these gems, Tom?” asked Mr. Swift.
“I had about decided to do so, dad.”
“And you’re going in the Red Cloud?’
“Yes.”
“Who are going with you?”
“Well, Mr. Jenks will go, of course, and I’ve no doubt but that if I mention the prospective trip to Mr. Damon, that he’ll bless his skating cap, or something like that, and come along.”
“I suppose so, Tom, and I’d like to have you take him. But I think you’ll need some one else.”
“Because, from what you have told me, you are going out to a dangerous part of the country, and you may have to deal with unscrupulous men. Three of you are hardly enough to cope with them. You ought to have at least another member of your party. If I was not busy on my invention of a new wireless motor I would go along, but I can’t leave. You might take Mr. Jackson.”
“No, you need him here to help you, dad.”
“How about Eradicate?”
Tom smiled.
“Rad would get homesick for his mule Boomerang, and I’d have to bring him back just when we’d found the diamonds,” replied the young inventor. “No, we’ll have to think of some one else. I’ll ask Mr. Damon, and then I’ll consider matters further. I expect to see Mr. Jenks tonight, and he may have some one in mind.”
“Perhaps that will be a good plan. Well, Tom, I trust you will take good care of yourself, and not run into unnecessary danger. Is the Red Cl
oud in good shape for the voyage?”
“It needs looking over. I’m going to get right at it.”
“It’s a pretty indefinite sort of a quest you’re going on, Tom, my son. How do you expect to find Phantom Mountain?”
“Well, it’s going to be quite a task. In the first place we’ll head for Leadville, Colorado, and then we’ll go to Indian Ridge and make some inquiries. We may get on the track of the place that way. If we don’t, why I’ll take the airship up as high as is necessary and sort of prospect until we see that big cliff that’s shaped like a head. That will give us something to go by.”
“Well, do the best you can. If you can discover the secret of making diamonds it will be a valuable one.”
“I guess it will, dad; and Mr. Jenks is entitled to know it, for he paid his good money to that end. He has promised to go halves with me, as payment for the use of the airship, and I must say the two diamonds he gave me last night have proved very valuable.”
“Two diamonds, Tom? You only showed me one, an uncut gem;” and Mr. Swift looked at his son.
“Oh, the other—er—the other is—I left it with a jeweler,” and Tom blushed a trifle, as he thought of the present he contemplated making to Mary Nestor.
That afternoon, as Tom was out in the shed of the Red Cloud looking over the airship, to see what would be necessary to do to it in order to get it in shape for a long trip, he heard voices outside.
“Yes—yes, I know the way in perfectly well,” he caught. “You needn’t bother to come, my good fellow. Just step this way, and I’ll show you something worth seeing.”
“I wonder if it’s that mysterious man coming back?” thought Tom. He dropped the tool he was using, and hurried to the door. As he approached it he heard the voice continue.
“Why bless my shoe laces, Mr. Parker! You’ll see a wonderful airship, I promise you. Wonderful! Bless my hatband, but I hope Tom is here!”
“Mr. Damon!” exclaimed our hero, as he recognized the tones of his eccentric friend. “But who is with him?”
A moment later he caught sight of the gentleman who was always blessing himself, or something. Behind him stood another man, whose features Tom could not see plainly.
“Hello, Tom Swift!” called Mr. Damon. “Looking over the Red Cloud, eh? Does that mean you’re off on another trip?”
“I guess it does,” answered the lad.
“Where to this time? if I may ask.”
“I’m thinking of going off to the mountains to find a band of men engaged in making diamonds,” replied Tom.
“Making diamonds! Bless my finger ring! Making diamonds! A trip to the mountains! Bless my disposition! but do you know I’d like to go with you!”
“I was thinking of asking you, Mr. Damon.”
“Were you? Bless my heart, I’m glad you thought of me. You don’t by any possible chance want another person; do you?”
“We were thinking of having four in the party, Mr. Damon,” and Tom wondered who was with his eccentric friend.
“Then bless my election ticket! This is the very chance for you, Mr. Parker!” cried Mr. Damon. “Will you go with us? It will be just what you need,” and Mr. Damon stepped aside, revealing to Tom the features of Mr. Ralph Parker, the scientist who had correctly predicted the destruction of Earthquake Island.
CHAPTER VII
MR. PARKER PREDICTS
Tom Swift was a most generous lad, but when he saw that Mr. Damon had with him Mr. Parker, the gloomy scientist, who seemed to take delight in predicting disasters, our hero’s spirits were not exactly of the best. He would have much preferred not to take Mr. Parker on the quest for the diamond makers, but, since Mr. Damon had mentioned it, he did not see how he could very well refuse.
“But perhaps he won’t care to go,” thought Tom.
He was undeceived a moment later, however, for the scientist remarked:
I am very glad to meet you once more, Mr. Swift. I have scarcely thanked you enough for what you did for us in erecting your wireless station on Earthquake Island, which, as you recall, I predicted would sink into the sea. It did, I am glad to say, not because I like to see islands destroyed, but because science has been vindicated. Now I have just heard you remark that you are about to set off to the mountains in search of some men who are making diamonds. I need hardly state that this is utterly useless, for no diamonds, commercially valuable, can be made by men. But the trip may be valuable in that it will permit me to demonstrate some scientific facts.
“Therefore, if you will permit me, I will be very glad to accompany you and Mr. Damon. I shall be delighted, in short, and I can start as soon as you are ready.”
“There’s no hope for it!” thought Tom, dismally. “I suppose he’ll wake up every morning, and predict that before night the world will come to an end, or he’ll prophesy that the airship will blow up, and vanish, when about seven miles above the clouds. Well, there’s no way out of it, so here goes.”
Thereupon Tom welcomed the scientist as cordially as he could, and invited him to form one of the party that would set off in the airship to search for Phantom Mountain.
“Bless my jewelry box!” exclaimed Mr. Damon, when this formality was over. “Tell me more about it, Tom.”
Which our hero did, stating the need of maintaining secrecy on account of the danger to Mr. Jenks. Mr. Damon and Mr. Parker both agreed to say nothing about the matter, and then the scientist became much interested in the Red Cloud, which he closely examined. He even complimented Tom on the skill shown in making it, and, contrary to our hero’s expectation, did not predict that it would blow up the next time it was used.
“How did you happen to arrive just at this time, Mr. Damon?” asked Tom.
“It was partly due to Mr. Parker,” was the answer. “I had not seen him since we were rescued from the island, until a few days ago he called on me at my home. I happened to mention that you lived near here, and suggested that he might like to see some of your inventions. He agreed, and we came over in my auto. And now, bless my liver-pin! I find you about to start off on another trip.”
“And have you fully decided to go with me?” asked Tom. “There may be danger, and I don’t like the way that mysterious man behaved.”
“Oh, bless my revolver!” cried Mr. Damon. “I’m used to danger by this time. Of course I’m going, and so is Mr. Parker. Do you know,” and the man, who was always blessing something, came closer to the lad, and whispered: “Do you know, Tom, Mr. Parker is a very peculiar individual.”
“I’m sure of it,” answered the young inventor, looking at the gentleman in question, who was then inside the airship cabin.
“But he’s all right, even if he is predicting unpleasant things,” went on Mr. Damon. “I think we’ll get better acquainted with him after a bit.”
“I hope so,” agreed Tom, but he did not realize then how close his companionship with Mr. Parker was to be, nor what dangers they were to share later.
The friends talked at considerable length of the prospective trip, and Tom, by this time, had ascertained what needed to be done to the airship to get it in shape to travel. It would take about a week, and, in the meanwhile, Mr. Damon would go home and get his affairs in order for the voyage. Tom’s father was introduced to Mr. Parker, and, the former, finding that the scientist held some views in common with him, invited the gloomy predictor to remain at the Swift home until the Red Cloud was ready to sail. Tom could not repress a groan at this, but he decided he would have to make the best of it.
Mr. Damon left for home that afternoon, promising to be on hand at the time set to start for Phantom Mountain.
Tom was up waiting for Mr. Jenks at twelve o’clock that night. Shortly after the hour he saw a dark figure steal into the orchard. At first he feared lest it might be one of the spies who were, he was now convinced, on the trail of the man who was seeking to discover the secret of the diamond makers. But a whistle, which came to the lad’s ear a moment later (that being a signal Mr. Jenks h
ad agreed to sound), told Tom that it was none other than the visitor he expected.
“All right, Mr. Jenks, I’m here,” called Tom, cautiously. “Come over this way,” and he went out from the shadow of the house, where he had been waiting, and met the men. “We’ll go into my private work-shop,” the youth added, leading the way.
“Have you decided to go with me?” asked Mr. Jenks, in an anxious whisper. “Did you find the diamonds to be real ones?”
“I did; and I’m going,” spoke Tom.
“Good! That relieves my mind. But we are still in danger. I was followed by my shadower today, and only succeeded in shaking him off just before coming here. I don’t believe he knows what I am about to do.”
“Oh, yes he does,” said Tom.
“He does? How?”
“Because he was here, and warned me against you!”
“You don’t mean it! Well, they are getting desperate! We must be on our guard. What sort of a man was he?”
Tom described the fellow, and Mr. Jenks stated that this tallied with the appearance of the person who had been shadowing him.
“But we’ll fool them yet!” cried Tom, who had now fully entered into the spirit of the affair. “If they can follow us in the Red Cloud they’re welcome to. I think we’ll get ahead of them.”
He then told of Mr. Damon and Mr. Parker, and Mr. Jenks agreed that it would add to the strength of the party to take these two gentlemen along.
“Though I can’t say I care so much for Mr. Parker,” he added. “But now as to ways and means. When can we start?”
Thereupon he and Tom talked over details in the seclusion of the little office, and arranged to leave Shopton in about a week. In the meanwhile the airship would be overhauled, stocked with supplies and provisions, and be made ready for a swift dash to the mountains.
“And now I must be going,” said Mr. Jenks. “I have a great deal to do before I can start on this trip, and I hope I am not prevented by any of those men who seem to be trailing me.”
“How could they prevent you?” Tom wanted to know.
“Oh, there are any number of ways,” was the answer. “But I’m glad you found that my diamonds were real. We’ll soon have plenty, if all goes well.”
The Tom Swift Megapack Page 80