"Of course I want to know."
"Well, then, it's my opinion that Basil Cunningham is a plain, unvarnished, first-water crook!"
CHAPTER II
THE NEW INVENTION
Ned Newton stood for several seconds intently gazing at his chum and business associate after Tom Swift's emphatic rejoinder. Then, feeling that as financial manager of the Swift plant he ought not too easily give up a chance for making money, Ned remarked:
"Well, Tom, I suppose you know your own business best, but you ought to have something to back up your opinion that Cunningham isn't straight."
"I've got enough to convince myself, Ned, though maybe not enough to make you see things the way I do. In fact, I haven't any documentary evidence, but I still maintain that Cunningham is a crook."
"In that case, of course we don't want anything to do with him," agreed Ned. "But what sort of evidence have you, Tom?"
"I may be mistaken," replied Tom, who was willing to give any man the benefit of a doubt; "but I have a very strong suspicion that the delicate machinery Cunningham wanted us to manufacture for him would infringe on the patents of certain English machines used for scientific and optical work."
"Infringement!" exclaimed Ned.