Andy did not know what to say. Fate had, most unexpectedly, placed in his hands a valuable paper. The miner had made a mistake. Andy's house was on the same road as was Tom's and, seeing the airship shed, had deceived the aged man. He had not expected to find two airship manufactories in the same village.
"The map of the valley of gold," murmured Andy, as he put it in his pocket.
"Yes, jest as I told Tom about when I met him out West. I said I'd bring it with me, an' I did. When will Tom be back? He never spoke of you, though I reckoned he'd have to have some help in makin' his airships. Where is he?"
"He—he—" stammered Andy. He did not know what to say.
At that instant Tom Swift himself passed by in the road. He had been over to Shopton on an errand. One look into the yard of Andy's house showed to our hero the old miner sitting at the door of the airship shed.
"Mr. Abercrombie—Abe!" cried Tom, almost, before he thought.
"Hello, Tom! I got here!" cried the miner, heartily. "I was jest talking to your partner."
"My partner!" spoke Tom in amazement.
"Yes—partner in th' airship business. I should think you'd need about three partners to build these machines!"
"My partner! Andy Foger isn't my partner!" cried Tom, wondering what would happen next. "I have no partner! If he said he was he deceived you!"