asserted Tom.

The inventor of the curious and terrible weapon took his position.
Behind him stood Ned and Mr. Jackson, and just before Tom was ready
to fire, his father came stalking through the darkness, calling to
them.

"Are you there, Tom?"

"Yes Dad, is anything the matter?"

"No, but I thought I'd like to see what luck you have. Rad was
saying you were going to have a test in the dark."

"I'm about ready for it," replied Tom. "I'm going to blow up a box
that I can't see. You know how it's done, Dad, for you helped me in
perfecting the luminous charge, but it's going to be something of a
novelty to the others. Here we go, now!"

Tom raised his rifle, and aimed it in the dark. Ned Newton,
straining his eyes to see, was sure the young inventor was pointing
the gun at least twenty feet to one side of where the box was
located, but he said nothing, for from experiences in the past, he
realized that Tom knew what he was doing.

There was a little clicking sound, as the youth moved some gear
wheel on his gun. Then there came a faint crackling noise, like some
distant wireless apparatus beginning to flash a message through
space.