Part 15 (1/2)

”I can as soon as I getinventor ”I think I have solved the problem of the explosive Noork on the cannon”

An exa attached to the cannon and plate by electric wires, were not daed when the blast came, showed that Tom's wildest hopes had been confirmed He had the most powerful explosive ever e, and he had had sa Tom's powder, or explosive, I will only say that he kept the formula of it secret froovernment experts asked hilycerine, but that this entered into it He agreed, however, in case his gun was accepted by the government, to disclose the secret to the ordnance officers

But To to have a powerful explosive, but thereit safely--some cannon in which it could be fired to send a projectile farther than any cannon had ever sent one And to do this ured and planned, far into the night, for ain, working from the basis of the power of his new explosive And he had ure out

But finally he had constructed--on paper--a gun that was to his liking

The in of safety that would obviate all danger of its bursting, even with an accidental over-charge

”And the next thing is to get the gun cast,” said To to do it in your shops?” his chum asked

”No; it would be out of the question for ive the contract to the Universal Steel Company We'll pay thereat facilities of the steel corporation proved aliant cannon When he showed the drawings, on which he had already secured a patent, the un here!” he said

”Oh, yes, you can!” declared Tom, who had inspected the plant ”I'll show you how”

”Why, we haven't a h for the central core,” was another objection

”Then we'lla pit in the earth, and after it is properly lined we can ht of that!” exclaier ”Perhaps it can be done”

”Of course it can!” cried Tom ”Do you think you can shrink on the jackets, and rifle the central tube?”

”Oh, yes, we can do that The initial cast hat stuo ahead now”

”And you can wind the breech ire, and braze it on; can't you?”

persisted To to have a ound gun?”

”That, in co to take no chances with 'Swiftite'!” laughed Tom, for so he had named his new explosive, in honor of his father, who had helped hihty powerful,” exclaier

”It is,” said To to tireof Toeneral plan, in brief, was this: A hole would be dug in the earth, in the center of the largest casting shop--a hole as deep as the gun was to be long

This was about one hundred feet, though the gun, when finished, would be somewhat shorter than this An allowance was to be