Part 4 (1/2)
”Not here!” said Koku firmly. ”Master Tom say let n.o.body come near but workmen who have got writing-paper. You no got!”
”No, but I kin git one, an' I's gwine t' hab it soon! I'll see Ma.s.sa Tom, dat's whut I will. I guess yo' ain't de only deteckertiff on de place. I kin go on guard, too!” and Eradicate, dropping his rake, strolled away in his temper to seek the young inventor.
”Well, Rad, what is it?” asked Tom, as he met the colored man. The young inventor was on his way to the mysterious shop. ”What is troubling you?”
”It's dat dar giant. He done says as how he's on guard--a deteckertiff--an' I can't go nigh dat buildin' t' sweep up de refuse.”
”Well, that's right, Rad. I'd prefer that you keep away. I'm doing some special work in there and it's--”
”Am it dangerous, Ma.s.sa Tom? I ain't askeered! Anybody whut kin drive mah mule Boomerang--”
”I know, Eradicate, but this isn't so dangerous. It's just secret, and I don't want too many people about. You can go anywhere else except there. Koku is on guard.”
”Den can't I be, Ma.s.sa Tom?” asked the colored man eagerly. ”I kin guard an' detect same as dat low-down, good-fo'-nuffin white trash Koku!”
Tom hesitated.
”I suppose I could get you a sort of officer's badge,” he mused, half aloud.
”Dat's whut I want!” eagerly exclaimed Eradicate. ”I ain't gwine hab dat Koku--dat cocoanut--crowin' ober me! I kin guard an' detect as good's anybody!”
And the upshot of it was that Eradicate was given a badge, and put on a special post, far enough from Koku to keep the two from quarreling, and where, even if he failed in keeping a proper lookout, the old servant could do no harm by his oversight.
”It'll please him, and won't hurt us,” said Tom to his father. ”Koku will keep out any prying persons.”
”I suppose you are doing well to keep it a secret, Tom,” said Mr.
Swift, ”but it seems as if you might announce it soon.”
”Perhaps we may, Dad, if all goes well. I've given her a partial shop-tryout, and she works well. But there is still plenty to do. Did I tell you about meeting Blakeson?”
”Yes, and I can't understand why he should be in this vicinity. Do you think he has had any intimation of what you are doing?”
”It's hard to say, and yet I would not be surprised. When Uncle Sam couldn't keep secret the fact of our first soldiers sailing for France.
How can I expect to keep this secret? But they won't get any details until I'm ready, I'm sure of that.”
”Koku is a good discourager,” said Mr. Swift, with a chuckle. ”You couldn't have a better guard, Tom.”
”No, and if I can keep him and Eradicate from trying to pull off rival detective stunts, or 'deteckertiff,' as Rad calls it, I'll be all right. Now let's have another go at that carburetor. There's our weak point, for it's getting harder and harder all the while to get high-grade gasolene, and we'll have to come to alcohol of low proof, or kerosene, I'm thinking.”
”I wouldn't be surprised, Tom. Well, perhaps we can get up a new style of carburetor that will do the trick. Now look at this needle valve; I've given it a new turn,” and father and son went into technical details connected with their latest invention.
These were busy days at the Swift plant. Men came and went--men with queerly shaped parcels frequently--and they were admitted to the big new building after first pa.s.sing Eradicate and then Koku, and it would be hard to say which guard was the more careful. Only, of course, Koku had the final decision, and more than one person was turned back after Eradicate had pa.s.sed him, much to the disgust of the negro.
”Pooh! Dat giant don't know a workman when he sees 'im!” snorted Eradicate. ”He so lazy his own se'f dat he don't know a workman! Ef I sees a spy, Ma.s.sa Tom, or a crook, I's gwine git him, suah pop!”
”I hope you do, Rad. We can't afford to let this secret get out,” said the young inventor.
It was one evening, when taking a short cut to his home, that Mr.
Nestor, the father of Mary Nestor, in whom Tom was more than ordinarily interested, pa.s.sed not far from the big enclosure which was guarded, on the factory side, day and night. Inside, though out of sight and hidden by the high fence, were other guards.