"Yes--a week at least, I expect.It is taking longer to set up the carriage than I thought.But it will be an improvement over the solid one we formerly used.That was fine, Rad," he concluded as the colored man went back to the shack of which he had taken possession for himself and his cooking operations.It adjoined the quarters to which Tom, Ned, Mr.Damon and Koku had been assigned.
"Golly! I ain't so old yit but what I knows de stuff Massa Tom laiks!" exclaimed the colored man, moving off with a chuckle.
Tom, though he had many suspicions about the cut cables that had nearly been the cause of his gun sliding into the sea, had learned nothing definite--nor had Ned.
The German officer, with his body servant, who seldom spoke, had landed at Colon, and was proceeding to make himself at home with the officers and men who were building the canal.Occasionally he paid a visitto Tom and Ned, where they were engaged about the big gun.He always seemed pleasant, and interested in their labors, asking many question, but that was all, and our hero began to feel that perhaps he was wrong in his suspicions.
As for Ned, he veered uncertainly from one suspicion to another.At one time he declared that von Brunderger and General Waller were in a conspiracy to upset Tom's plans.Again he would accuse the German alone, until Tom laughingly bade him attend more to work and less to theories.
Slowly the work progressed.The gun was mounted after much labor, and then arrangements began to be made for the test.A series of shots were to be fired out to sea, and the proper precautions were to be taken to prevent any ships from being struck.
"Though if you intend to send a projectile thirty miles," said one of the officers, "I'm afraid there may be some danger, after all.Are you sure you have a range of thirty miles, Mr.Swift?""I have," answered Tom, calmly, "and with the increased elevation that I am able to get here, it may exceed that."The officer said nothing, but he looked at Tom in what our hero thought was a peculiar manner.
A few days before the date set for the test one of the sentinels, who had been detailed to keep curiosity-seekers away from the giant cannon, approached Tom and said:
"There is a gentleman asking to see you, Mr.Swift.""Who is it?" asked Tom, laying aside a pressure gauge he intended attaching to the gun.
"He says his name is Peterson--Alec Peterson.Do you want to see him?""Yes, let him come up," directed the young inventor."Do you hear that, Ned?" he called."Our fortune-hunting friend is here.""Maybe he's found that lost opal mine," suggested Ned.
"I hope he has, for dad's sake," went on Tom."Hello, Mr.Peterson!" he called, as he noticed the old prospector coming along."Have you had any luck?""I heard you were down here," said the many not answering thequestion directly, "and as I had to run over from my island for some supplies I thought I'd stop and see you.How are you?" and he shook hands.
"Fine!" answered Tom."Have you found the lost mine yet?" Alec Peterson paused a moment.Then he said slowly:
"No, Tom, I haven't succeeded in locating the mine yet.But I-- I expect to any day now!" he added, hastily.