Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers | Page 3

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This Etext was prepared for Project Gutenberg by Anthony Matonac.

TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS or The Secret of
Phantom Mountain
By VICTOR APPLETON

CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I

A SUSPICIOUS JEWELER II A MIDNIGHT VISIT III A STRANGE
STORY IV ANDY FOGER GETS A FRIGHT V A MYSTERIOUS
MAN VI MR. DAMON IS ON HAND VII MR. PARKER PREDICTS
VIII OFF FOR THE WEST IX A WARNING BY WIRELESS X
DROPPING THE STOWAWAY XI A WEARY SEARCH XII THE
GREAT STONE HEAD XIII ON PHANTOM MOUNTAIN XIV
WARNED BACK XV THE LANDSLIDE XVI THE VAST CAVERN
XVII THE PHANTOM CAPTURED XVIII BILL RENSHAW WILL
HELP XIX IN THE SECRET CAVE XX MAKING THE
DIAMONDS XXI FLASHING GEMS XXII PRISONERS XXIII
BROKEN BONDS XXIV IN GREAT PERIL XXV THE MOUNTAIN
SHATTERED--CONCLUSION

TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS
CHAPTER I
- A SUSPICIOUS JEWELER
"Well, Tom Swift, I don't believe you will make any mistake if you buy
that diamond," said the jeweler to a young man who was inspecting a
tray of pins, set with the sparkling stones. "It is of the first water, and
without a flaw."
"It certainly seems so, Mr. Track. I don't know much about diamonds,
and I'm depending on you. But this one looks to be all right."
"Is it for yourself, Tom?"
"Er--no--that is, not exactly," and Tom Swift, the young inventor of
airships and submarines, blushed slightly.
"Ah, I see. It's for your housekeeper, Mrs. Baggert. Well, I think she
would like a pin of this sort. True, it's rather expensive, but--"
"No, it isn't for Mrs. Baggert, Mr. Track," and Tom seemed a bit
embarrassed.

"No? Well, then, Tom--of course it's none of my affair, except to sell
you a good stone, But if this brooch is for a young lady, I can't
recommend anything nicer. Do you think you will take this; or do you
prefer to look at some others?"
"Oh, I think this will do, Mr. Track. I guess I'll take--"
Tom's Words were interrupted by a sudden action on the part of the
jeweler. Mr. Track ran from behind the showcase and hastened toward
the front door.
"Did you see him, Tom?" he cried. "I wonder which way he went?"
"Who?" asked the lad, following the shopkeeper.
"That man. He's been walking up and down in front of my place for the
last ten minutes--ever since you've been in here, in fact, and I don't like
his looks."
"What did he do?"
"Nothing much, except to stare in here as if he was sizing my place
up."
"Sizing it up?"
"Yes. Getting the lay of the land, so he or some confederate could
commit a robbery, maybe."
"A robbery? Do you think that man was a thief?"
"I don't know that he was, Tom, and yet a jeweler has to be always on
the watch, and that isn't a joke, either, Tom Swift. Swindlers and
thieves are always on the alert for a chance to rob a jewelry store, and
they work many games."
"I didn't notice any particular man looking in here," said Tom, who still
held the diamond brooch in his hand.

"Well I did," went on the jeweler. "I happened to glance out of the
window when you were looking at the pins, and I saw his eyes staring
in here in a suspicious manner. He may have a confederate with him,
and, when you're gone, one may come in, and pretend to want to look
at some diamonds. Then, when I'm showing him some, the other man
will enter, engage my attention, and the first man will slip out with a
diamond ring or pin. It's often done."
"You seem to have it all worked out, Mr. Track," observed the lad, with
a smile. "How do you know but what