"Only at one time," commented Tom, with a laugh, "it began to look as if nobody but Cunningham would use it."
"That's right," assented Ned.
It developed that after Tom's refusal to have anything to do with him, Cunningham had his men shadow Tom and, when the House on Wheels was headed for Dismal Mountain plans were made to capture it and the occupants. How well these plans succeeded, Tom Swift was in a position to know.
Three weeks after the round-up of the gang there was a beautiful ceremony in the Union Church of Shopton. As the wedding bells pealed forth their joyous music, Ned Newton and Helen Morton, who had been Mary's and Tom's attendants, marched down the aisle behind the happy couple.
"Don't they sound nice?" said Ned to Helen.
"What?"
"Those wedding bells! I hope they'll soon be ringing for us, Helen!"
"Oh, behave yourself, Ned Newton," was all she said. "This is no time to talk about such things!"
As Tom marched out of the church amid a shower of rice and old shoes he saw in the crowd waiting to greet him many old and new friends. His father was there, with Mrs. Baggert, the faithful housekeeper.
"Long life and happiness to you and your sweet bride, Tom!" called the old lady.