little later he set out for the city of gold, and had marvelous
adventures underground.

Hearing of a deposit of valuable platinum in Siberia, Tom started
for that lonely place, and, to reach a certain part of if, he had to
invent a new machine, called an air glider. It was an aeroplane
without means of propulsion save the wind.

In the book, "Tom Swift in Captivity," I related the particulars of
how he brought away two immense men from giant land. One, Koku, he
kept for himself, while the other made a good living by being
exhibited in a circus.

When the present story opens Tom had not long been home after a
series of strange adventures. A moving picture concern, with which
Mr. Nestor was associated, wanted some views of remarkable scenes,
such as fights among wild beasts, the capture of herds of elephants,
earthquakes, and volcanos in action, and great avalanches in the
Alps. Tom invented a wizard camera, and got many good views, though
at times he was in great danger, even in his airship. Especially was
this so at the erupting volcano.

But our hero came swiftly hack to Shopton, and there, all Winter and
Spring, he busied himself perfecting a new motor for an airship--a
motor that would make no noise. He perfected it early that Summer,
and now was about to try it, when the incident of the torn newspaper
happened.

"Have you got all the pieces, Tom?" asked Ned, as he passed his chum
several scraps, which were gathered up from the floor.