“What’s the matter, Rad?” asked the young investor.

“Oh, nuffin—­jest natcherly nuffin, Massa Tom.”

But Eradicate spoke evasively and in a manner that roused Tom’s suspicions.

“Boomerang, your mule, didn’t kick you; did he?”

“No, sah, Massa Tom, no sah.  ’Twern’t nuffin laik dat.”

“But what was it?  Your hand is hurt!”

“Well, Massa Tom, I s’pose I done bettah tell yo’ all.  I’se had a shock!”

“A shock?”

“Yas, sah.  A shock.  A lickrish shock.”

“Oh, you mean an electrical shock.  That’s too bad.  I suppose you must have touched a live wire.”

“No, sah.  ’Twern’t dat way.”

“How was it, then?”

“Well, yo’ see, Massa Tom, I were playin’ a joke on Koku.”

“Oh, you were; eh?  Then I suppose Koku shocked you,” laughed Tom.

“No, sah.  I—­I’ll tell you.  Dat giant man he were in de telefoam boof in de pattern shop—­you know—­de one where yo’ all been tryin’ to make pishures.”

“Yes, I know.  Go on!” exclaimed Tom, impatiently.

“Well, he were in dere, Massa Tom, an’ I slipped into de boof in de next shop—­de odder place where yo’ all been ‘speermentin’.  I called out on de telefoam, loud laik de Angel Gabriel gwine t’ holler at de last trump:  ‘Look out, yo’ ole sinnah!’ I yell it jest t’ scare Koku.”

“I see,” said Tom, a bit severely, for he did not like Eradicate interfering with the instruments.  “And did you scare Koku?”

“Oh, yas, sah, Massa Tom.  I skeered him all right; but suffin else done happen.  When I put down de telefoam I got a terrible shock.  It hurts yit!”

“Well,” remarked Tom, “I suppose I ought to feel sorry for you, but I can’t.  You should let things alone.  Now I’ve got to see if you did any damage.  Come along, Ned.”

Tom was the first to enter the telephone booth where Eradicate had played the part of the Angel Gabriel.  He looked at the wires and apparatus, but could see nothing wrong.

Then he glanced at the selenium plate, on which he hoped, some day, to imprint an image from over the wire.  And, as he saw the smooth surface he started, and cried.

“Ned!  Ned, come here quick!”

“What is it?” asked his chum, Crowding into the booth.

“Look at that plate!  Tell me what you see!”

Ned looked.

“Why—­why it’s Koku’s picture!” he gasped.

“Exactly!” cried Tom.  “In some way my experiment has succeeded when I was away.  Eradicate must have made some new connection by his monkeying.  Ned, it’s a success!  I’ve got my first photo telephone picture!  Hurray!”

CHAPTER XIV

MAKING IMPROVEMENTS

Tom Swift was so overjoyed and excited that for a few moments he capered about, inside the booth, and outside, knocking against his chum Ned, clapping him on the back, and doing all manner of boyish “stunts.”