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〃You wait and see。 The Swift crowd will get off their high horse soon；
or I'm mistaken。 My plans are nearly completed； but I can't tell you about
them。 I'll ruin Mr。 Swift； though； that's what I'll do；〃 and Mr。 Foger shook
his head determinedly。
Tom was soon at his home； and Mrs。 Baggert； hearing the noise of his
machine； as it entered the front yard； came to the side door。
〃Where's my blacking？〃 she asked； as our hero dismounted and untied
the bundle of steel tubes he had purchased。
〃II used it；〃 he answered； laughing。
〃Tom Swift！ You don't mean to say you took my stove polish to use in
your battery； do you？〃
〃No； I used it to polish off Andy Foger and some of his cronies；〃 and
the young inventor told； with much gusto； what had happened。 Mrs。
Baggert could not help joining in the laugh； and when Tom offered to ride
back and purchase some more of the polish for her； she said it did not
matter； as she could wait until the next day。
The lad was soon busy in his machine shop； making several larger
cells for the new storage battery。 He wanted to give it a more severe test。
He worked for several days on this； and when he had one unit of cells
complete； he attached the motor for an efficiency trial。
〃We'll see how many miles that will make；〃 he remarked to his father。
〃Have you thought anything of the type of car you are going to build？〃
asked the aged inventor of his son。
〃Yes； somewhat。 It will be almost of the regulation style； but with two
removable seats at the rear； with curtains for protection； and a place in
front for two persons。 This can also be protected with curtains when
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
desired。〃
〃But what about the motors and the battery？〃
They will be located under the middle of the car。 There will be one set
of batteries there； together with the motor； and another set of batteries will
be placed under the removable seats in what I call the tonneau； though； of
course； it isn't really that。 A smaller set will also be placed forward； and
there will be ample room for carrying tools and such things。〃
〃About how far do you expect your car will go with one charging of
the battery？〃
〃Well； if I can make it do three hundred miles I'll be satisfied； but I'm
going to try for four hundred。〃
〃What will you do when your battery runs out？〃
〃Recharge it。〃
〃Suppose you're not near a charging station？〃 〃Well； Dad； of course
those are some of the details I've got to work out。 I'm planning a register
gauge now； that will give warning about fifty miles before the battery is
run down。 That will leave me a margin to work on。 And I'm going to have
it fixed so I can take current from any trolley line； as well as from a
regular charging station。 My battery will be capable of being recharged
very quickly； or； in case of need； I can take out the old cells and put in new
ones。
〃That's a very good idea。 Well； I hope you succeed。〃
A few evenings after this； when Tom was busy in his machine shop； he
heard some one enter。 He looked up from the gauge of the motor； which he
was studying； and； for a moment； he could make out nothing in the dark
interior of the shop； for he was working in a brilliant light。
〃Who's there？〃 he called sharply； for； more than once unscrupulous
men had endeavored to sneak into the Swift shops to steal ideas of
inventions； if not the actual apparatus itself。
〃It's meNed Newton；〃 was the cheerful reply。
〃Oh； hello； Ned！ I was wondering what had become of you；〃
responded Tom。 〃Where have you been lately？〃
〃Oh； working overtime。〃
〃What's the occasion？〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
〃We're trying out a new system to increase the bank business。〃
〃What's the matter？ Aren't you folks getting business enough； after the
big deposits we made of the bullion from the wreck？〃
〃Oh； it's not that。 But haven't you heard the news？ There is talk of
starting a rival bank in Shopton； and that may make us hustle to hold what
business we have； to say nothing of getting new customers。〃
〃A new bank； eh？ Who's going to start it？〃 〃Andy Foger's father； I hear。
You know he was a director in our bank； but he got out last week。〃
〃What for？〃
〃Well； he had some difficulty with Mr。 Pendergast； the president。 I
fancy you had something to do with it； too。〃
〃I？〃 Tom was plainly surprised。
〃Yes； you know you and Mr。 Damon and Mr。 Sharp captured the bank
robbers； and got back most of the money。〃
〃I guess I do remember it！ I wish you could have seen the gang when
we raided them from the clouds； in our airship！〃
〃Well； you know Andy Foger hoped to collect the five thousand
dollars reward for telling the police that you were the thief； and of course
he got fooled； for you got the reward。 Mr。 Foger expected his son would
collect the money； and when Andy got left； it made him sore。 He's had a
grudge against Mr。 Pendergast； and all the other bank officials ever since；
and now he's going to start a rival bank。 So that's why I said it was partly
due to you。〃
〃Oh； I see。 I thought at first you meant that it was on account of
something that happened the other day。〃
〃What was that？〃
〃Andy； Sam and Pete got the contents of a bottle of stove blacking；〃
and Tom related the occurrence； at which Ned laughed heartily。
〃I wouldn't be surprised though；〃 added Ned； 〃to learn that Mr。 Foger
started the new bank more for revenge than anything else。〃
〃So that's the reason you've been working late； eh？〃 went on Tom。
〃Getting ready for competition。 Do you think a new bank will hurt the one
you're with？〃
〃Well； it might；〃 admitted Ned。 〃It's bound to make a change； anyhow；
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
and now that I have a good position I don't want to lose it。 I take more of
an interest in the institution now that I'm assistant cashier； than I did when
I was a clerk。 So； naturally； I'm a little worried。〃
〃Say； don't let it worry you；〃 begged Tom； earnestly。
〃Why not？〃
〃Because I know my father and Mr。 Damon will stick to the old bank。
They won't have anything to do with the one Andy Foger's father starts。
Don't you worry。〃
〃Well； that will help some；〃 declared Ned。 〃They are both heavy
depositors； and if they stick to the old bank we can stand it even if some of
our smaller customers desert us。〃
〃That's the way to talk；〃 went on the young inventor。 〃Let Foger start
his bank。 It won't hurt yours。〃
〃What are you making now？〃 asked Ned； a little later； looking with
interest at the machinery over which Tom was bending； and to which he
was making adjustments。
〃New electric automobile。 I want to beat Andy Foger's car worse than I
did on my motorcycle； and I also want to win a prize；〃 and the lad
proceeded to relate the incidents leading up to his construction of the
storage battery。
Tom and Ned were in the shop until long past midnight； and then the
bank employee； with a look at his watch； exclaimed：
〃Great Scott！ I ought to be home。〃
〃I'll run you over in Mr。 Damon's car；〃 proposed Tom。 〃He left it here
the other day； while he and his wife went off on a trip； and he said I could
use it whenever I wanted to。〃
〃Good！〃 cried Ned。
The two lads came from Tom's particular workshop。 As the young
inventor closed the door he started suddenly； as he snapped shut the lock。
〃What's the matter？〃 asked Ned quickly。
〃I thought I heard a noise；〃 replied Tom。
They both listened。 There was a slight rustling in some bushes near the
shop。
〃It's a dog or a cat；〃 declared Ned。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
Tom took several cautious steps forward。 Then he gave a spring； and
made a grab for some one or something。
〃Her