"With a silent motor all this would be done away with. With my
new craft, in case I can perfect it, the enemy's lines can be
approached as silently as the Indians used to approach the log
cabins of the white settlers. That will be its great advantage--
not that conversation can be more easily carried on, for that is,
after all, an unimportant detail. But to approach the enemy's
lines in the silence of the night would be a distinct gain."

"I believe it would, Tom!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "And I should
think, too, that Uncle Sam would be glad to get such a motor," he
added.

"Well, he'll have one to take if he wants it, if I can make my
plans a success," declared Tom. "That is, unless those other
fellows get ahead of me."

"What other fellows?" asked Mr. Damon.

"Gale, Ware and their crowd," was the answer. "I fancy they are
provoked because I wouldn't agree to work for them, and now, that
Gale overheard--as he must have--what I propose working on, they
may try that game themselves."

"You mean try to turn out a silent motor?"

"Yes. It would be a big feather in their cap for their company,
so far, hasn't been very successful on government orders. That's
why they came to me, I guess."

"I shouldn't be surprised, Tom," conceded Mr. Damon. "Since the