Then Tom related what had befallen him.

“Oh, that’s too bad!” cried Mr. Swift.  “Are you much hurt, Tom?  Shall I send for the doctor?” For the time being his anxiety over his son was greater than that concerning his loss.

“No, indeed, dad.  I’m all right now.  I got a bad blow on the head, but Mrs. Blackford fixed me up.  I’m awfully sorry—–­”

“There, there!  Now don’t say another word,” interrupted Mr. Swift.  “It wasn’t your fault.  It might have happened to me.  I dare say it would, for those scoundrels seemed very determined.  They are desperate, and will stop at nothing to make good the loss they sustained on the patent motor they exploited.  Now they will probably try to make use of my model and papers.”

“Do you think they’ll do that, dad?”

“Yes.  They will either make a motor exactly like mine, or construct one so nearly similar that it will answer their purpose.  I will have no redress against them, as my patent is not fully granted yet.  Mr. Crawford was to attend to that.”

“Can’t you do anything to stop them, dad?  File an injunction, or something like that?”

“I don’t know.  I must see Mr. Crawford at once.  I wonder if he could come here?  He might be able to advise me.  I have had very little experience with legal difficulties.  My specialty is in other lines of work.  But I must do something.  Every moment is valuable.  I wonder who the men were?”

“I’m sure one of them was the same man who came here that night—­the man with the black mustache, who dropped the telegram,” said Tom.  “I had a pretty good look at him as the auto passed me, and I’m sure it was he.  Of course I didn’t see who it was that struck me down, but I imagine it was some one of the same gang.”

“Very likely.  Well, Tom, I must do something.  I suppose I might telegraph to Mr. Crawford—­he will be expecting you in Albany—­” Mr. Swift paused musingly.  “No, I have it!” he suddenly exclaimed.  “I’ll go to Albany myself.”

“Go to Albany, dad?”

“Yes; I must explain everything to the lawyers and then he can advise me what to do.  Fortunately I have some papers, duplicates of those you took, which I can show him.  Of course the originals will be necessary before I can prove my claim.  The loss of the model is the most severe, however.  Without that I can do little.  But I will have Mr. Crawford take whatever steps are possible.  I’ll take the night train, Tom.  I’ll have to leave you to look after matters here, and I needn’t caution you to be on your guard, though, having got what they were after, I fancy those financiers, or their tools, will not bother us again.”

“Very likely not,” agreed Tom, “but I will keep my eyes open, just the same.  Oh, but that reminds me, dad.  Did you see anything of a tramp around here while I was away?”

“A tramp?  No; but you had better ask Mrs. Baggert.  She usually attends to them.  She’s so kind-hearted that she frequently gives them a good meal.”