Tom Swift and His Giant Telescope

by Victor Appleton

Unfortunately for Tom, as he learned in the next two hours, the Neptune Company and other salvage concerns he called were very busy and could not spare a barge of the required size. Moreover, Ned could get no more information, when he finally contacted the freighter, than her commander had given already.

"Why doan yo' tak' yo' submarine boat down dere, Massa Tom?" asked Eradicate as he served luncheon to the young inventor, his father and Ned. "Ah 'members we once got some treasure off'n de bottom ob de sea dat way."

Eradicate Served Luncheon

"I did think of that, Rad," answered Tom a bit wearily, "but my ship isn't big enough to raise such a great weight."

"And so, son," said the elder Swift, "if you can't get the use of a large salvage craft you will have to give up your project; is that right?"

"That's right, Dad, and I surely hate to think of it. But I'm not going to give up, even if I have to bring men and equipment from the Pacific coast!"

"I'm Not Going to Give Up!"

"That'd be mighty expensive," objected Ned. In his capacity as the Swifts' business manager, he had earned the nickname "watchdog of the treasury." "Why not wait until some local firm can take the job?"