Tom was particularly anxious to discover if any mysterious
strangers had been seen about the works. There was a strict rule
about admitting them to the plant, however, and it could not be
learned that this had been violated.

"Well, we'll just have to lay that aside for a while," Tom said
the next day, when Ned again came to pay a visit. "Now, what do
you say to tackling, with me, that recoil problem on the aerial
warship?"

"I'm ready, if you are," Ned agreed, "though I know about as
much of those things as a snake does about dancing. But I'm
game."

The two friends walked out toward the shed where Tom's new
craft was housed. As yet Ned had not seen it. On the way they saw
Eradicate walking along, talking to himself, as he often did.

"I wonder what he has on his mind," remarked Ned musingly.

"Something does seem to be worrying him," agreed Tom.

As they neared the colored man, they could hear him saying:

"He suah did hab nerve, dat's what he did! De idea ob askin' me
all dem questions, an' den wantin' t' know if I'd sell him!"

"What's that, Eradicate?" asked Tom.

"Oh, it's a man I met when I were comin' back from de ash