第38章

For perhaps a quarter of a minute Tom Swift and the president of the Universal Flying Machine Company of New York sat staring at one another.Mr.Gale's face wore a puzzled expression, and so did Tom's.And, after the last remark of the young inventor, the man who had called to see him said:

"Well, perhaps we are talking at cross purposes.I don't blame you for not feeling very friendly toward us, and if I had had my way that last correspondence with you would never have left our office.""It wasn't very business-like," said Tom dryly, referring to the veiled threats when he had refused to sell his services to the rival company.

"I realize that," said Mr.Gale."But we have some peculiar men working for us, and sometimes there is so much to do, so many possibilities of which to take advantage, that we may get a little off our balance.But what I called for was not to renew our offer to you.I understand that is definitely settled.""As far as I am concerned, it is," said Tom, as his caller seemed to want an answer.

"Yes.Well, then, what I called to say was that if you are thinking of taking any legal action against us because of the action of that man Lydane, I wish to state that he had absolutely no authority to--""Excuse me!" broke in Tom, "but by Lydane do you mean the man who also posed as Bower, the spy?""No, I do not.Though I regret to say that Bower once worked for us.He, too, had no authority to come here and get a position.He was still in our service when he did that.""So I have suspected," said Tom."I realize now that he was a spy, who came here to try to find out for you some of my secrets.""Not with my permission!" exclaimed Mr.Gale."I was against that from the first and I came to tell you so.But Bower really did you no harm.""No, he didn't get the chance!" chuckled Tom."Nor did that other spy--the one with the gold tooth.I wonder how he liked our mud hole?" "He was Lydane," said Mr.Gale."It is about him I came.""You might have saved yourself the trouble," returned Tom."I don't wish to discuss him.""But I wish to make sure," said Mr.Gale, that what he has done will not come back on us.We repudiate him entirely.His methods we can not countenance.He is too daring--""Oh, don't worry!" interrupted Tom."He hasn't done anything to me-- he didn't get the chance, as I guess he's told you.You needn't apologize on his account.He did me no harm, and--""But I understood from him that--"

"Now I don't want to seem impolite!" broke in Tom, "nor do I want to take pattern after some of your company's acts, if not your own.But I am very busy.I have an important test to make for the government, and my time is fully occupied.I am afraid I shall have to bid you good-morning and--""But won't you give me a chance to--" began the president.

"Now, the less we discuss this matter the better!" interrupted Tom."Lydane, as you call the man with the gold tooth didn't really do anything to me nor any great harm to any of my possessions, as far as I can learn.His career is a closed book-- a book with muddy covers!" and the young inventor laughed.

"Oh, well, if you look at it that way, there is nothing further for me to say" said Mr.Gale stiffly."I understood-- But hasn't my partner, Mr.Ware, seen you?" he asked Tom quickly.

"No.And I don't care to see him."

"Oh, then that accounts for it," was the quick answer."Well, if you regard the matter as closed I suppose we should also.We are not to blame for what Lydane does when he is no longer in our employ, and we repudiate anything he may do, or may have done."This struck Tom, afterward, as being rather a queer remark, but he did not think so at the time.

The truth was that the young inventor wished very much to try out anew device on his noiseless aeroplane and wanted to get rid of Mr.Gale before doing so.So he did not pay as much attention to the remarks of the president as, otherwise, he might have done.