tom swift & his electric runabout(汤姆史威特和他的电力小轿车)-第17章
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He drew back his left hand； and delivered a blow that landed fairly on
Andy's right eye。 The bully staggered and went down in the dust。
〃There！〃 cried Tom； righteously angry。 〃That will teach you not to try
to damage my car； and then hit me into the bargain！ Now clear out； before
I give you some more！〃
Whining and blubbering Andy arose to his feet。
〃You just wait。 I'll get square with you for this；〃 he threatened。
〃You can accept part of that as pay for what you did in the tar and
feathering game；〃 added Tom。 Then； as Andy moved in front of one of the
electric side lamps on the car； Tom uttered a whistle of surprise。 For both
of Andy's eyes were bruised and swollen； though Tom had only hit him
once。
〃Look at me！〃 cried the bully； more squint…eyed than ever。 〃Look at
me！ You hit me in one eye； and that explosion hit me in the other！ My
father will sue you for this。〃
As he hurried off down the road Tom understood。 Andy coming along；
had seen Tom's car standing there； and； thinking to do some mischief； had
climbed in； and turned on the power。 Perhaps he hoped it would run into
the roadside ditch and be smashed。 But as the gear was out； turning on the
electric current had a different effect。 As the bully pulled the handle over
too quickly； throwing almost the entire force of the battery into the wires
at once； the load was too heavy for them。 A safety fuse blew out； causing
the flare and the explosion； and a piece of the soft lead…like metal had hit
the red…haired lad in the eye。 Tom's fist had completed the work on the
other optic； and for several days thereafter Andy Foger remained in
seclusion。 When he did go out there were many embarrassing questions
put to him； as to when he had had the fight。 Andy didn't care to answer。 As
for Tom； it did not take long to put a new fuse in his car； and he greatly
enjoyed his ride with Miss Nestor that night。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
CHAPTER XVI
TROUBLE AT THE BANK
Coming in rather late from his trip to Mansburg； and thinking of
some things he and Miss Nestor had talked about； Tom was rather
surprised； on reaching the house； to see a light in his father's particular
room； where the aged inventor did his reading and his planning of new
devices。
〃Dad's up rather late；〃 said Tom to himself。 〃I wonder if he's studying
over some new machine。〃
The lad ran his auto into the temporary garage he had built for it； and
connected the wires of a burglar alarm he had arranged； to give warning in
case any of his enemies should seek to damage the car。
Tom encountered Garret Jackson； the aged inventor who was going his
rounds； seeing that everything was all right about the various shops。
〃Anybody with my father； Garret？〃 asked the lad。 〃I see he's still up。〃
〃Yes；〃 was the rather unexpected reply。 〃Mr。 Damon is with him。
They've been in your father's room all the eveningever since you went
away in the car。〃
〃Anything the matter？〃 inquired the young inventor； a bit anxious； as
he thought of the Happy Harry gang。
〃Well； I don't know；〃 and the engineer seemed puzzled。 〃They called
me in once to know if everything was all right outside； and to inquire if
you were back。 I saw； then； that they were busy figuring over something；
but I didn't take much notice。 Only I heard Mr。 Damon say： 'There's going
to be trouble if we can't realize on those bonds；' and then I came away。〃
〃Is that all he said？〃 asked Tom。
〃No； he said 'Bless my buttons；' or something like that； but he blesses
so many things I didn't pay much attention。〃
〃That's right；〃 agreed the lad。 〃But I wonder what the trouble is about？
I must go see。〃
As he passed along the hall； out of which his father's combined study
and library opened； the aged inventor came to the door。
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〃Is that you； Tom？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； Dad。〃
〃Come in here； if you haven't anything else to do。 Mr。 Damon is here。〃
Tom needed but a single glance at the faces of his father and Mr。
Damon to see that something was troubling the two。 The table in front of
them was littered with papers covered with rows of figures。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked Tom。
〃Well； I suppose I ought not to let it bother me； but it does；〃 replied his
father。
〃Something wrong with your patents； Dad？ Has the crowd of bad men
been bothering you again？〃
〃No； it isn't that。 It's trouble at the bank； Tom。〃
〃Has it been robbed again？〃 asked the lad quickly。 〃If it has I can
prove an alibi；〃 and he smiled at the recollection of the time he and Mr。
Damon had been accused of looting the vault； as told in 〃Tom Swift and
His Airship。〃
〃No； it hasn't been robbed in just that way；〃 put in Mr。 Damon。 〃But；
bless my shoe laces； it's almost as bad！ You see； Tom； since Mr。 Foger
started the new bank he's done his best to cripple the one in which your
father and I are interested。 I may say we are very vitally interested in it； for；
since the withdrawal of Foger and his associates； your father and I have
been elected directors。〃
〃I didn't know that；〃 remarked the lad。
〃No； I didn't tell you； because you were so busy on your electric car；〃
rejoined Mr。 Swift。 〃But Mr。 Damon and I； being both large depositors；
were asked to assume office； and； as I was not very busy on patent affairs；
I consented。〃
〃But what is the trouble？〃 inquired Tom。
〃I'm coming to it；〃 resumed Mr。 Damon。 〃Bless my check book； I'm
coming to it！ You see we have lost several good customers； by reason of
Foger opening the new bank。 That wouldn't have mattered so much； as
between your father and myself； and one or two others； we have enough
capital to carry on the business of the bank。 But there is a more serious
matter。 We hold a number of very good securities； but they are of a class
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hard to realize cash for； on short notice。 In other words they are not active
bonds； though they are issued by reliable concerns。 Then； too； the bank has
lost considerable money by not doing as much business as it formerly did。
In short we don't know just what to do； Tom； and your father and I were
discussing it； when you came in。〃
〃Do you need more money？〃 asked Tom。 〃I have some； that is my
share from the submarine treasure； and some I have allowed to accumulate
as royalties from my patents。 It's about ten thousand dollars； and you're
welcome to it。〃
〃Thank you； Tom；〃 spoke his father。 〃We may use your cash； but we'll
need a great deal more than that。〃
〃But why？〃 asked the lad。 〃I don't understand。 If you have good bonds；
can't you dispose of them； and get the money？〃
〃We could； Tom； yes； if we had time；〃 replied Mr。 Damon。 〃But to
throw the bonds on the market at short notice would mean that we would
not get a good price for them。 We would lose considerable。〃
〃But why do it in a hurry？〃
〃Because there is need of hurry；〃 responded Mr。 Swift。
〃That's it；〃 joined in Mr。 Damon。 〃We have to have cash in a hurry；
Tom； to meet pressing demands； and we don't just see our way clear to get
it。 I am trying to raise it on some private securities I own； but I can't get an
answer within several days。 Meanwhile the bank may fail； because of lack
of funds。 Of course no one would lose anything； ultimately； as we could go
into the hands of a receiver； and； eventually pay dollar for dollar。 Your
father and I； and some of the other directors； might lose a little； but the
depositors would not。 But your father and I don't like the idea of failing。
It's something I've never done； and I'm too old to start in now； bless my
cash ledger if I'm not！〃
〃And for the sake of my reputation in this community I don't want to
see the bank close its doors；〃 added Mr。 Swift。 〃It would give Foger too
good a chance to crow over us。〃
〃And you need cash in a hurry；〃 went on Tom。 〃How much？〃
〃Fifty thousand dollars at least；〃 replied Mr。 Damon。
〃And if you don't get it？〃
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The eccentric man shrugged his shoulders。
〃Well；〃 remarked Mr。 Swift musingly； 〃I don't see that we need worry
you about it； Tom。 Perhaps〃
Mr。 Swift was interrupted by a ring at the front door。 The three looked
at each other。 It was late for a caller； and Mrs。 Baggert had gone to bed。
〃I'll answer it；〃 volunteered Tom。 He switched on the electric light in
the hall； and opened the door。 He was confronted by Mr。 Pendergast； the
president of the bank。
〃Is your father in？〃 asked Mr。 Pendergast； and he seemed to be much
agitated。
〃Yes； he is；〃 replied the lad。 〃Come this way； please。〃
〃I want to see him on important business；〃 went on the president； as he
followed the young inventor。 〃I'm afraid I have bad news for him and Mr。
Damon。 Bad news； Tom； bad news；〃 and the aged banker's voice trembled。
Tom； with a chill of apprehension seeming to clutch his heart； threw open
the library door。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
CHAPTER XVII
A RUN ON THE BANK
〃Why； Mr。 Pendergast！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon； rising quickly as Tom
ushered in the aged president。 〃Whatever is the matter？ You here at this
hour？ Bless my trial balance！ Is anything wrong？
〃I'm afraid there is；〃 answered the bank head。 〃I have just received
word wh
