“Oh, we’ll be glad to,” said Helen. “I can’t let Ned get away with all the honors.”
It was the day on which the final demonstration was to take place. Tom had arranged his apparatus and had invited the two girls and their families to come to the laboratory for the evening.
In the afternoon, about six hours before the time set, Tom was in his workroom putting some finishing touches to the machinery and testing the electrical wires when he heard Eradicate coming along the corridor. Something in the colored man’s step and the fact that he was muttering excitedly to himself, roused Tom’s curiosity and fears.
“What’s the matter, Rad?” he asked, opening the door in response to the faithful black man’s knock.
“Man jest give me dis,” answered Eradicate, holding out a letter.
“Where did you get it?”
“Out in de yard,” was the answer. “I was walkin’ round like yo’ done tole me watchin’ fo’ strangers, when de man come up an’ handed me dis. He were a stranger—I was goin’ to tell him to make his se’f skurse when he done hand me dat.”
Eradicate nodded toward the note which Tom held.
“Did he say anything when he gave it to you?” asked Tom.
“He say ‘gib dat to Tom Swift. It may be life or death to him,’ ” quoted Eradicate.