“All right.  I’ll wait until you get rich.”

“Ha, ha!  Den yo’ gwine t’ wait a pow’ful long time,” chuckled Eradicate as he went on with his whitewashing.

Tom went into the house.  He found his father busy with some papers at his desk.

“Ah, it’s you, is it, Tom?” asked the inventor, looking up.  “I was just wishing you would come in.”

“What for, dad?”

“Well, I have quite an important mission for you.  I want you to go on a journey.”

“A journey?  Where?”

“To Albany.  You see, I’ve been thinking over matters, and I have been in correspondence with my lawyers in regard to my turbine motor.  I must take measures to protect myself.  You know I have not yet taken out a complete patent on the machine.  I have not done so because I did not want to put my model on exhibition in Washington.  I was afraid some of those unscrupulous men would take advantage of me.  Another point was that I had not perfected a certain device that goes on the motor.  That objection is now removed, and I am ready to send my model to Washington, and take out the complete patent.”

“But I thought you said you wanted me to go to Albany.”

“So I do.  I will explain.  I have just had a letter from Reid & Crawford, my Washington attorneys.  Mr. Crawford, the junior member of the firm, will be in Albany this week on some law business.  He agrees to receive my model and some papers there, and take them back to Washington with him.  In this way they will be well protected.  You see, I have to be on my guard, and if I send the model to Albany, instead of the national capital, I may throw the plotters off the track, for I feel that they are watching every move I make.  As soon as you or I should start for Washington they would be on our trail.  But you can go to Albany unsuspected.  Mr. Crawford will wait for you there.  I want you to start day after to-morrow.”

“All right, dad.  I can start now, if you say so.”

“No, there is no special need for haste.  I have some matters to arrange.  You might go to the station and inquire about trains to the State capital.”

“Am I going by train?”

“Certainly.  How else could you go?”

There was a look of excitement in Tom’s eyes.  He had a sudden idea.

“Dad,” he exclaimed, “why couldn’t I go on my motor-cycle?”

“Your motor-cycle?”

“Yes.  I could easily make the trip on it in one day.  The roads are good, and I would enjoy it.  I can carry the model back of me on the saddle.  It is not very large.”

“Well,” said Mr. Swift slowly, for the idea was a new one to him, “I suppose that part would be all right.  But you have not had much experience riding a motor-cycle.  Besides, you don’t know the roads.”

“I can inquire.  Will you let me go, dad?”

Mr. Swift appeared to hesitate.

“It will be fine!” went on Tom.  “I would enjoy the trip, and there’s another thing.  If we want to keep this matter secret the best plan would be to let me go on my machine.  If those men are on the watch, they will not think that I have the model.  They will think I’m just going for a pleasure jaunt.”