“I suppose there is no doubt, Tom, as to the success of the thing?” ventured Ned.
“Not the slightest!” Tom’s voice was full of confidence.
Grumblings and growlings were heard issuing from the throat of Koku. Tom asked what the trouble was.
“He’s complaining because there was no fight!” chuckled Mr. Damon. “He says Ned promised him that he could get hold of some of your enemies, Tom, but it all fizzled out.”
“Me want smash um!” growled the giant, clenching his big fists.
“Too bad!” chuckled Tom. “But I couldn’t pull off the fight, Koku. Better luck next time.”
Tom made his motorboat fast to his own private dock and went home to tell his father the good news—that all matters were satisfactorily settled. He knew the aged inventor would be worried.
“I’m glad you’re back, Tom,” Mr. Swift said when he saw his son. “Now you can take it easy. You’ve been working too hard.”
“The hard work isn’t over yet,” the young inventor answered. “I still have to give a perfect final test.”
To this end he and Ned and the workmen bent all their energies during the next six days. Mr. Swift aided where he could and Mr. Damon was again called on to do his funny song and dance. Now that the invention was about to be made public and Tom had no fear about his patents being stolen from him, the affair could be openly talked about.