第7章

HELD FAST

"Here, Tom! Come back! Where are you going?" cried aged Mr.Swift, as his son started toward the window.

"I'm going to see what's up, and who it is that Koku is chasing," replied the young inventor.

As he spoke he opened the window, which went all the way down to the floor.He stepped out on a small balcony, put his hand on the railing, and was about to leap over.Back of him was his father, Mr.Period and Ned.

"Come back! You may get hurt!" urged Mr.Swift.He had aged rapidly in the last few months, and had been obliged to give up most of his inventive work.Naturally, he was very nervous about his son.

"Don't worry, dad; replied the youth."I'm not in much danger when Koku is around.""That's right, agreed the moving picture man."I'd sooner have that giant look after me than half a dozen policemen."The noise had now grown fainter, but the sound of the pursuit could still be heard.Koku was shouting in his hearty tones, and there was the noise of breaking twigs as the chase wound in and out of the garden shrubbery.

Tom paused a moment, to let his eyes get somewhat used to the darkness.There was a crescent moon, that gave a little light, and the snow on the ground made it possible to notice objects fairly well.

"See anything?" asked Ned, as he joined his chum on the balcony."No, but I'm going to have a closer look.Here goes!" and Tom leapedto the ground.

"I'm with you," added Ned, as he followed.Then came another voice, shouting:

"Dat's de way! Catch him! I'se comm', I is! Ef we gits him we'll tie him up, an' let Boomerang walk on him!""Here comes Eradicate," announced Tom, with a look back toward hischum, and a moment later the aged colored man, who had evidently started on the chase with Koku, but who had been left far behind, swung totteringly around the corner of the house.

"Did ye cotch him, Massa Tom?" asked Eradicate."Did ye cotch de raskil?""Not yet, Rad.But Koku is after him.Who was he, and what did he do?""Didn't do nuffin yit, Massa Tom, 'case as how he didn't git no chance," replied the colored man, as he hurried along as rapidly as he could beside the two youths."Koku and I was too quick for him.Koku an' me was a-sittin' in my shack, sort of talkin' togedder, when we hears a racket neah de chicken house.I'se mighty partial t' de chickens, an' I didn't want nobody t' 'sturb 'em.Koku was jes' de same, an' when we hears dat noise, up we jumps, an' gits t' chasm.' He runned dis way, an' us was arter him, but land lub yo', ole Eradicate ain't so spry as he uster be an' Koku an' de chicken thief got ahead ob me.Leastwise he ain't no chicken thief yit, 'case as how he didn't git in de coop, but he meant t' be one, jes' de same.""Are you sure he was after the chickens?" asked Tom, with quick suspicion in his mind, for, several times of late, unscrupulous persons had tried to enter his shop, to get knowledge of his valuable inventions before they were patented.

"Course he were arter de chickens," replied Eradicate."But he didn't git none.""Come on, Ned!" cried Tom, breaking into a run."I want to catch whoever this was.Did you see him, Rad?""Only jes' had a glimpse ob his back."

"Well, you go back to the house and tell father and Mr.Period about it.Ned and I will go on with Koku.I hope to get the fellow.""Why, Tom?" asked his chum.

"Because I think he was after bigger game than chickens.My noiseless motor, for the new airship, is nearly complete, and it may have been some one trying to get that.I received an offer from a concern the other day, who wished to purchase it, and, when I refused to sell, they seemed rather put out."The two lads raced on, while Eradicate tottered back to the house, where he found Mr.Swift and the picture man awaiting him.

"I guess he got away," remarked Ned, after he and his chum had covered nearly the length of the big garden.

"I'm afraid so," agreed Tom."I can't hear Koku any more.Still, I'm not going to give up."Pantingly they ran on, and, a little later, they met the big man coming back.

"Did he get away?" asked Tom."Yes, Mr.Tom, he scaped me all right.""Escaped you mean, Koku.Well, never mind.You did your best.""I would like to have hold of him," spoke the giant, as he stretched out his big arms.

"Did you know who he was?" inquired Ned.

"No, I couldn't see his face," and he gave the same description of the affair as had Eradicate.

"Was it a full grown man, or some one about my size?" Tom wanted to know.

"A man," replied the giant.

"Why do you ask that?" inquired Ned, as the big fellow went on to resume his talk with Eradicate, and the two chums turned to go into the house, after the fruitless chase.

"Because, I thought it might be Andy Foger," was Tom's reply."It would be just like him, but if it was a man, it couldn't be him.Andy's rather short.""Besides, he doesn't live here any more," said Ned.

"I know, but I heard Sam Snedecker, who used to be pretty thick with him, saying the other day that he expected a visit from Andy.I hope he doesn't come back to Shopton, even for a day, for he always tries to make trouble for me.Well, let's go in, and tell 'em all about our chase after a chicken thief.""And so he got away?" remarked Mr.Swift, when Tom had completed his story.