place, we have been roundly laughed at in some papers for proposing
such a theory. And yet it isn't so wild as it sounds. In fact, after
seeing your airship, Tom Swift, I'm convinced--"

"That I've been smuggling?" asked Tom with a laugh.

"Not at all. As you have read, we confiscated some smuggled goods
the other day, and among them was a scrap of paper with the words
Shopton, New York, on it."

"Was it a letter from someone here, or to someone here?" asked Ned.
"The papers intimated so."

"No. they only guessed at that part of it. It was just a scrap of
paper, evidently torn from a letter, and it only had those three
words on it. Naturally we agents thought we could get a clew here.
We imagined, or at least I did, for I was sent to work up this end,
that perhaps the airships for the smugglers were made here. I made
inquiries, and found that you, Tom Swift, and one other, Andy Foger,
had made, or owned, airships in Shopton."

"I came here, but I soon exhausted the possibility of Andy Foger
making practical airships. Besides he isn't at home here any more,
and he has no facilities for constructing the craft as you have. So
I came to look at your place, and I must say that it looks a bit
suspicious, Mr. Swift. Though, of course, as I said," he added with
a smile, "you may be able to explain everything."

"I think I can convince you that I had no part in the smuggling,"
spoke Tom, laughing. "I never sell my airships. If you like you may