& his big tunnel(汤姆·史威夫特和他的大遂道)-第8节
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And Eradicate wasall too careful。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
CHAPTER VI
Mr。 Nestor's Letter
〃Got t' git a good strong box fo' dish yeah；〃 murmured Eradicate； as he
looked at the beautiful mahogany present Tom had turned over to him to
take to Mary。 〃Mah Landy！ Dat suttinly am nice； Ah！ Um！ Jest laik some
ob de old mahogany furniture dat was in our fambily down Souf。〃
Eradicate did not mean his family； exactly； but the one in which he had
been a slave。
〃Yassum； dat shore am nice！〃 he went on； talking to himself as he
admired the present。 〃I shore got t' put dat in a good box！ An' dish year
note； too。 Let's see what it done say on de outside。〃
Eradicate held the envelope carefully upside down； and reador rather
pretended to readthe name and address。 Eradicate knew well enough
where Mary lived； for this was not the first time he had gone there with
messages from his young master。
〃Massa Tom shore am a fine writer；〃 mused the negro； as he slowly
turned the envelope around。 〃I cain't read nobody's writin' but hisen；
nohow。〃
Had Eradicate been strictly honest with himself； he would have
confessed that he could not read any writing； or printing either。 His
education had been very limited； but one could show him； say； a printed
sign and tell him it read 〃Danger〃 or 〃Five miles to Branchville；〃 or
anything like that； and the next time he saw it； Eradicate would know what
that sign said。 He seemed to fix a picture of it in his mind； though the
letters and figures by themselves meant nothing to him。 So when Tom told
him the envelope contained the name and address of Miss Nestor；
Eradicate needed nothing more。
He rummaged about in some odds and ends in the corner of the
laboratory； and brought out a strong； wooden box； which had a cover that
screwed down。
〃Dat'll be de ticket！〃 Eradicate exclaimed。 De mahogany present will
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
jest fit。〃 Eradicate took some excelsior to pad the box； and then； dropping
inside it the gift； already wrapped in tissue paper； he proceeded to screw
on the cover。
There was something printed in red letters on the outside box； but
Eradicate could not read； so it did not trouble him。
〃Dat Miss Nestor shore will laik her present；〃 he murmured。 〃An' I'll
be mighty keerful ob it' laik Massa Tom tole me。 He wouldn't trust dat big
lummox Koku wif anyt'ing laik dis。〃
Screwing on the cover； and putting a piece of wrapping paper outside
the rough； wooden box。 with the letter in his hand； Eradicate； full of his
own importance； set off for Miss Nestor's house。 Tom had not returned
from the telephone； over which he was talking to Mr。 Titus。
The message was an important one。 The contractor said he had
received word from his brother in Peru that his presence was urgently
needed there。
〃Could you arrange to get off sooner than we planned； Tom？〃 asked
Mr。 Titus。 〃I am afraid something has happened down there。 Have you sent
the first shipment of explosive？〃
〃Yes； that went three days ago。 It ought to arrive at Lima soon after we
do。 Why yes； I can start to…night if we have to。 I'll find out if Mr。 Damon
can be with us on such short notice。〃
〃I wish you would；〃 came from Mr。 Titus。 〃And say； Tom； do you
think you could take that giant Koku with you？〃
〃Why？〃
〃Well； I think he'd come in handy。 There are some pretty rough
characters in those Andes Mountains； and your big friend might be
useful。〃
〃All right。 I was thinking of it； anyhow。 Glad you mentioned it。 Now
I'll call up Mr。 Damon； and I'll let you know； in an hour or so； if he can
make it。〃
〃Bless my hair brush； yes； Tom！〃 exclaimed the eccentric man； when
told of the change in plans。 〃I can leave to…night as well as not。〃
Word to this effect was sent on to Mr。 Titus； and then began some
hurrying on the part of Tom Swift。 He told Koku to get ready to leave for
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New York at once； where he and the giant would join Mr。 Titus and Mr。
Damon； and start across the continent to take for steamer for Lima； Peru。
〃Rad； did you send that present to Miss Nestor？〃 asked Tom； later； as
he finished packing his grip。
〃Yas； sah。 I done did it。 Took it mase'f！〃
〃That's good！ I guess I'll have to say good…bye to Mary over the
telephone。 I won't have time to call。 I'm glad I thought of the present。〃
Tom got the Nestor house on the wire。 But Mary was not in。
〃There's a package here for her；〃 said the girl's mother。 〃Did you？〃
〃Yes； I sent that；〃 Tom said。 〃Sorry I won't he able to call and say
good…bye； but I'm in a terrible rush。 I'll see her as soon as I get back； and
I'll write as soon as I arrive。〃
〃Do；〃 urged Mrs。 Nestor。 〃We'll all be glad to hear from you；〃 for Tom
and Mary were tentatively engaged to be married。
Tom and Koku went on with their hurried preparations to leave for
New York。 Eradicate begged to be taken along； but Tom gently told the
faithful old servant that it was out of the question。
〃Besides； Rad；〃 he said； 〃it's dangerous in those Andes Mountains。
Why； they have birds there； as big as cows； and they can swoop down and
carry off a man your size。〃
〃Am dat shorely so； Massa Tom？〃
〃Of course it is！ You get the dictionary and read about the condors of
the Andes Mountains。〃
〃Dat's what I'll do； Massa Tom。 Birds as big as cows what kin pick up
a man in dere beaks； an' carry him off！ Oh； my！ No； sah； Massa Tom！ I
don't want t' go。 I'll stay right yeah！〃
Shortly before Tom and Koku departed for the railroad station； where
they were to take a train for New York； Mary Nestor returned home。
〃Tom called you on the telephone to say good…bye；〃 her mother
informed her； 〃and said he was sorry he could not see you。 But he sent
some sort of gift。〃
〃Oh； how sweet of him！〃 Mary exclaimed。 〃Where is it？〃
〃On the dining room table。 Eradicate brought it with a note。〃
Mary read the note first。
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In it Tom begged Mary to accept the little token； and to think of him
when she used it。
〃Oh！ I wonder what it can be；〃 she cried in delight。
〃Better open it and see；〃 advised Mr。 Nestor； who had come in at that
moment。
Mary cut the string of the outside paper； and folded back the wrapper。
A wooden box was exposed to view； a solid； oblong； wooden box； and on
the top； in bold； red letters Mary； her father and her mother read：
DYNAMITE！ HANDLE WITH CARE！
〃Oh！ Oh！〃 murmured Mrs。 Nestor。
〃Dynamite！ Handle with care！〃 repeated Mr。 Nestor； in a sort of dazed
voice。 〃Quick！ Get a pail of water！ Dump it in the bathtub！ Soak it good；
and then telephone for the police。 Dynamite！ What does this mean？〃
He rushed toward the kitchen； evidently with the intention of getting a
pail of water； but Mary clasped him by the arm。
〃Father！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Don't get so excited！〃
〃Excited！〃 he cried。 〃Who's excited？ Dynamite！ We'll all be blown up！
This is some plot！ I don't believe Tom sent this at all！ Look out！ Call the
police！ Excited！ Who's getting excited？〃
〃You are； Daddy dear！〃 said Mary calmly。 〃This is some mistake。 Tom
did send thisI know his writing。 And wasn't it Eradicate who brought this
package； Mother？〃
〃Yes； my dear。 But your father is right。 Let him put it in water； then it
will be safe。 Oh； we'll all be blown up。 Get the water！〃
〃No！〃 cried Mary。 〃There is some mistake。 Tom wouldn't send me
dynamite； There must be a present for me in there。 Tom must have put it in
the wrong box by mistake。 I'm going to open it。〃
Mary's calmness had its effect on her parents。 Mr。 Nestor cooled dow
