The two inventors, young and old, entered, and Tom quickly crossed
to where the wires from the automatic dynamo, extended to the
searchlight outside the window of his room. He made a quick
inspection.

"Look, father!" he cried. "The alternating current from the
automatic dynamo has become crossed with direct current from the big
storage battery in a funny way. It must have been by accident, for
never in the world would I think of connecting up in that fashion. I
would have said it would have made a short circuit at once."

"But it hasn't. On the contrary, it has given a current of peculiar
strength and intensity--a current that would seem to be made
especially for searchlights. Dad, I'm on the edge of a big
discovery."

"I believe you, Tom," said his father. "That certainly is a queer
way for wires to be connected. How do you account for it?"

"I can't. That is unless some one meddled with the connections after
I made them. That must be it. I'll ask Rad and Koku." Just then the
giant came in. "Koku, did you touch the wires?" asked Tom.

"Well, Mr. Tom, I didn't mean to. I accidentally pulled one out a
while ago, when I was waiting for the thief to come, but I put it
right back again. I hope I did no damage."

"No, on the contrary, you did a fine thing, Koku. I never would have
dared make such connections myself, but you, not knowing any better,