& his big tunnel(汤姆·史威夫特和他的大遂道)-第11节
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
so before striking into the interior to where the tunnel was being bored
through the mountain。
The first day was spent in getting settled； becoming used to their new
surroundings； finding their places and neighbors at table； and in making
acquaintances。 There were some interesting men and women aboard the
Bellaconda； and Tom Swift； Mr。 Damon and Mr。 Titus soon made friends
with them。 This usually came about through the medium of Koku； the
giant。 Persons seeing him would inquire about him； and when they learned
he was Tom Swift's helper it was an easy topic with which to open
conversation。
Tom told； modestly enough； how he had come to get Koku in his
escape from captivity； but Mr。 Damon was not so simple in describing
Tom's feats； so that before many days had passed our hero found himself
regarded as a personage of considerable importance； which was not at all
to his liking。
〃But bless my fountain pen！〃 cried Mr。 Damon； When Tom objected to
so much notoriety。 〃You did it all； didn't you？〃
〃Yes； I know。 But these people won't believe it。〃
〃Oh； yes they will！〃 said the odd man。 〃I'll take good care that they
believe it。〃
〃If any one say it not so； you tell me！〃 broke Koku； shaking his huge
fist。
〃No； I guess I'd better keep still；〃 said Tom； with a laugh。
The weather was pleasant； if we except a shower or two； and as the
vessel proceeded south； tropical clothing became the order of the day；
while all who could； spent most of their time on deck under the shade of
awnings。
〃Did you ever hear anything more of that fellow； Waddington？〃 asked
Tom of Mr。 Titus one day。
〃Not a thing。 He seems to have dropped out of sight。〃
〃And are your rivals； Blakeson & Grinder； making any trouble？〃
〃Not that I've heard of。 Though just what the situation may be down in
Peru I don't know。 I fancy everything isn't going just right or my brother
would not be so anxious for me to come on in such a hurry。〃 〃Do you
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
anticipate any real trouble？〃
Mr。 Titus paused a moment before answering。
〃Well； yes；〃 he said； finally； 〃I do！〃
〃What sort？〃 asked Tom。
〃That I can't say。 I'll be perfectly frank with you； Tom。 You know I told
you at the time that we were in for difficulties。 I didn't want you to go into
this thing blindly。〃
〃Oh； I'm not afraid of trouble；〃 Tom hastened to assure his friend。 〃I've
had more or less of it in my life； and I'm willing to meet it again。 Only I
like to know what kind it is。〃
〃Well； I can't tell youexactly；〃 went an the tunnel contractor。 〃Those
rivals of ours； Blakeson & Grinder； are unscrupulous fellows。 They feel
very bitter about not getting the contract； I hear。 And they would be only
too glad to have us fail in the work。 That would mean that they； as the next
lowest bidders； would be given the job。 And we would have to make up
the difference out of our pockets； as well as lose all the work we have； so
far； put on the tunnel。〃
〃And you don't want that to happen！〃
〃I guess not； my boy！ Well； it won't happen if we get there in time with
this new explosive of yours。 That will do the business I'm sure。〃
〃I hope so；〃 murmured Tom。 〃Well； we'll soon see。 And now I think I'll
go and write a few letters。 We are going to put in at Panama； and I can
mail them there。〃
Tom started for his stateroom； and rapidly put his hand in the inner
pocket of his coat。 He drew out a bundle of letters and papers； and； as he
looked at them； a cry of astonishment came from his lips。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked Mr。 Titus。
〃Matter！〃 cried Tom。 〃Why here's a letter from Maryfrom Mr。
Nestor；〃 he went on； as he scanned the familiar handwriting。 〃I never
opened it！ Let's seewhen did I get that？〃
His memory went back to the day of his departure from Shopton when
he had sent Mary the gift； and he recalled that the letter had arrived just as
he was getting into the automobile。
〃I stuck it in my pocket with some other mail；〃 he mused； 〃and I never
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
thought of it again until just now。 But this is the first time I've worn this
coat since that day。 A letter from Mr。 Nestor！ Probably Mary wrote；
thanking me for the box； and her father addressed the envelope for her。
Well； let's see what it says。〃
Tom retired to the privacy of his stateroom to read the note； but he had
not glanced over more than the first half of it before he cried out：
〃Dynamite！ Great Scott！ What does this mean？ 'Gross carelessness！
Poor idea of a joke！ No person with your idea of responsibility will ever
be my son…in…law！' Box labeled 'open with care！' Whywhywhat does it
all mean？〃
Tom read the letter over again； and his murmurs of astonishment were
so loud that Mr。 Damon； in the next room； called out：
〃What's the matter； Tom？〃 Get bad news？〃
〃Bad news？ I should say so！ Maryher fatherhe forbids me to see
her again。 Says I tried to dynamite them allor at least scare them into
believing I was going to。 I can't understand it！〃
〃Tell me about it； Tom；〃 suggested Mr。 Damon； coming into Tom's
stateroom。 〃Bless my gunpowder keg！ what does it mean？〃
Thereupon Tom told of having purchased the gift for Mary； and of
having； at the last minute； told Eradicate to put it in a box and deliver it at
the Nestor home。
〃Which he evidently did；〃 Tom went on； 〃but when it got there Mary's
present was in a box labeled 'Dynamite。 Handle with care。' I never sent
that。〃
Mr。 Damon read over Mr。 Nestor's letter which had lain so long in
Tom's pocket unopened。
〃I think I see how it happened；〃 said the old man。 〃Eradicate can't read；
can he； Tom？〃
〃No； but he pretends he can。〃
〃And did you have any empty boxes marked dynamite in your
laboratory？〃
〃Why yes； I believe I did。 I used dynamite as one of the ingredients of
my new explosive。〃
〃Well then； it's as clear as daylight。 Eradicate； being unable to read；
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
took one of the empty dynamite boxes in which to pack Mary's present。
That's how it happened。〃
Tom thought for a moment。 Then he burst into a laugh。
〃That's it；〃 he said； a bit ruefully。 〃That's the explanation。 No wonder
Mr。 Nestor was roiled。 He thought I was playing a joke。 I'll have to explain。
But how？〃
〃By letter；〃 said Mr。 Damon。
〃Too slow。 I'll send a wireless；〃 decided Tom； and he began the
composition of a message that cost him considerable in tolls before he had
hit on the explanation that suited him。
〃That ought to clear the atmosphere；〃 he said when the wireless had
shot his message into the ether。 〃Whew！ And to think； all this while；
Mary and her folks have believed that I tried to play a miserable joke on
them！ My！ My！ I wonder if they'll ever forgive me。 When I get hold of
Eradicate〃
〃Better teach him to read if he's going to do up love packages；〃
interrupted Mr。 Damon； dryly。
〃I will；〃 decided the young inventor。
The Bellaconda stopped at Panama and then kept on her way south。
Soon after that she ran into a severe tropical storm； and for a time there
was some excitement among the passengers。 The more timid of them put
on life preservers； though the captain and his officers assured them there
was no danger。
Tom and Mr。 Titus； descending from the deck； whence they had been
warned by one of the mates； were on their way to their stateroom； walking
with some difficulty owing to the roll of the ship。
As they approached their quarters the door of a stateroom farther up
the passage opened； and a head was thrust out。
〃Will you send a steward to me？〃 a man requested。 〃I am feeling very
ill； and need assistance。〃
〃Certainly；〃 Tom answered；
