Tom Swift and His Big Tunnel | Page 6

the piazza?"
"Certainly!" answered the tunnel contractor. "Whoa now!" he called
soothingly, as the steed evinced a disposition to sit down on the side
railing. "Steady now!"
The horse finally allowed himself to be led down the broad front steps,
sadly marking them, as well as the floor of the piazza, with his sharp
shoes.
"Ouch! Oh, my back!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, as Tom helped him to
stand up.
"Is it hurt?" asked Tom, anxiously.
"No, I've just got what old-fashioned folks call a 'crick' in it," explained
the elderly horseman. "But it feels more like a river than a 'crick.' I'll be
all right presently."
"How did it happen?" asked Tom, as he led his guest toward the hall.
Meanwhile Mr. Titus, wondering what it was all about, had tied the
horse to a post out near the street curb, and had re-entered the library.
"I was riding over to see you, Tom, to ask you if you wouldn't go to
South America with me," began Mr. Damon, rubbing his leg tenderly.
"South America?" cried Tom, with a sudden look at Mr. Titus.
"Yes, South America. Why, there isn't anything strange in that, is there?

You've been to wilder countries, and farther away than that."
"Yes, I know--it's just a coincidence. Go on."
"Let me get where I can sit down," begged Mr. Damon. "I think that
crick in my back is running down into my legs, Tom. I feel a bit weak.
Let me sit down, and get me a glass of water. I shall be all right
presently."
Between them Tom and Mr. Titus assisted the horseman into an easy
chair, and there, under the influence of a cup of hot tea, which Mrs.
Baggert, the housekeeper, insisted on making for him, he said he felt
much better, and would explain the reason for his call which had
culminated in such a sensational manner.
And while Mr. Damon is preparing his explanation I will take just a
few moments to acquaint my new readers with some facts about Tom
Swift, and the previous volumes of this series in which he has played
such prominent parts.
Tom Swift was the son of an inventor, and not only inherited his
father's talents, but had greatly added to them, so that now Tom had a
wonderful reputation.
Mr. Swift was a widower, and he and Tom lived in a big house in
Shopton, New York State, with Mrs. Baggert for a housekeeper. About
the house, from time to time, shops and laboratories had been erected,
until now there was a large and valuable establishment belonging to
Tom and his father.
The first volume of this series is entitled, "Tom Swift and His Motor
Cycle." It was through a motor cycle that Tom became acquainted with
Mr. Wakefield Damon, who lived in a neighboring town. Mr. Damon
had bought the motor cycle for himself, but, as he said, one day in
riding it the machine tried to climb a tree near the Swift house.
The young inventor (for even then he was working on several patents)
ministered to Mr. Damon, who, disgusted with the motor cycle, and

wishing to reward Tom, let the young fellow have the machine.
Tom's career began from that hour. For he learned to ride the motor
cycle, after making some improvements in it, and from then on the
youth had led a busy life. Soon afterward he secured a motor boat and
from that it was but a step to an airship.
The medium of the air having been conquered, Tom again turned his
attention to the water, or rather, under the water, and he and his father
made a submarine. Then he built an electric runabout, the speediest car
on the road.
It was when Ton Swift had occasion to send his wireless message from
a lonely island where he had been shipwrecked that he was able to do
Mr. and Mrs. Nestor a valuable service, and this increased the regard
which Miss Mary Nestor felt for the young inventor, a regard that bid
fair, some day, to ripen into something stronger.
Tom Swift might have made a fortune when he set out to discover the
secret of the diamond makers. But Fate intervened, and soon after that
quest he went to the caves of ice, where he and his friends met with
disaster. In his sky racer Tom broke all records for speed, and when he
went to Africa to rescue a missionary, had it not been for his electric
rifle the tide of battle would have gone against him and his party.
Marvelous, indeed, were the adventures underground, which came to
Tom when he went to look for the city of gold, but the treasure there
was not more valuable than the platinum which Tom