As usual, Tom had the inner door to his shop locked, and when Koku brought in a message that two strangers would like to see the young inventor, Tom remarked: 

“I guess it’s the rival picture men, Ned.  We’ll see what they have to say.”

“Which of you is Tom Swift?” asked the elder of the two men, as Tom and Ned entered the front office, for our hero knew better than to admit the strangers to the shop.

“I am,” replied Tom.

“Well, we’re men of business,” went on the speaker, “and there is no use beating about the bush.  I am Mr. Wilson Turbot, and this is my partner, Mr. William Eckert.  We are in the business of making moving picture films, and I understand that you are associated with Mr. Period in this line.  ‘Spotty’ we call him.”

“Yes, I am doing some work for Mr. Period,” admitted Tom, cautiously.

“Have you done any yet?”

“No, but I expect to.”

“What kind of a camera are you going to use?” asked Mr. Eckert eagerly.

“I must decline to answer that,” replied Tom, a bit stiffly.

“Oh, that’s all right,” spoke Mr. Turbot, good naturedly.  “Only ‘Spotty’ was bragging that you were making a new kind of film for him, and we wondered if it was on the market.”

“We are always looking for improvements,” added Mr. Eckert.

“This camera isn’t on the market,” replied Tom, on his guard as to how he answered.

The two men whispered together for a moment, and then Mr. Turbot said: 

“Well, as I remarked, we’re men of business, and there’s no use beating about the bush.  We’ve heard of you, Tom Swift, and we know you can do things.  Usually, in this world, every man has his price, and we’re willing to pay big to get what we want.  I don’t know what offer Mr. Period made to you, but I’ll say this:  We’ll give you double what he offered, for the exclusive rights to your camera, whenever it’s on the market, and we’ll pay you a handsome salary to work for us.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t consider the offer,” replied Tom firmly.  “I have given my word to Mr. Period.  I have a contract with him, and I cannot break it.”

“Offer him three times what Period did,” said Mr. Eckert, in a hoarse whisper that Tom heard.

“It would be useless!” exclaimed our hero.  “I wouldn’t go back on my word for a hundred times the price I am to get.  I am not in this business so much for the money, as I am for the pleasure of it.”

The men were silent a moment.  There were ugly looks on their faces.  They looked sharply at Tom and Ned.  Then Mr. Eckert said: 

“You’ll regret this, Tom Swift.  We are the biggest firm of moving picture promoters in the world.  We always get what we want.”

“You won’t get my camera,” replied Tom calmly.

“I don’t know about that!” exclaimed Mr. Turbot, as he made a hasty stride toward Tom, who stood in front of the door leading to the shop—­the shop where his camera, almost ready for use, was on a bench.  “I guess if we—­”