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mah coat； an' den he lif' me up； an' he sot me down so hardso harddat
he jar loose all mah back teef！〃 and Eradicate opened his mouth wide to
display his gleaming ivories。
〃Eradicate； he no can come quick。 He walk like so fashion！〃 and Koku；
who had followed the young inventor； imitated the limping gait of the
colored man with such a queer effect that Tom could not help laughing；
and the stranger smiled。
〃Ef I gits holt on yo'ef I does； yo' great； big； overgrown lummox；
Ah'llAh'll〃 began the colored man； stammeringly。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
〃There。 That will do now！〃 interrupted Tom。 〃Don't quarrel in here。
Koku； get back to that engine and lift out the motor。 Eradicate； didn't
father tell you to whitewash the chicken coops to…day？〃
〃Dat's what he done； Massa Tom。
〃Well； go and see about that。 I'll stay here for a while； and when I
leave I'll call one of you； or some one else； to be on guard。 Skip now！〃
Having thus disposed of the warring factions； Tom turned to the
stranger and after apologizing for the little interruption； asked：
〃You wished to see me？〃
〃If you're Tom Swift； yes。〃
〃Well； I'm Tom Swift；〃 and the young owner of the name smiled。
〃I hope you will pardon a stranger for calling on you；〃 resumed the
man； 〃but I'm in a lot of trouble； and I think you are the only one who can
help me out。〃
〃What sort of trouble？〃 Tom inquired。
〃Contracting troubletunnel blasting； to be exact。 But if you have a
few minutes to spare perhaps you will listen to my story。 You will then be
better able to understand my difficulty。〃
Tom Swift considered a moment。 He was used to having appeals for
help made to him； and usually they were of a begging nature。 He was often
asked for money to help some struggling inventor complete his machine。
In many cases the machines would have been of absolutely no use if
perfected。 In other cases the inventions were of the utterly hopeless class；
incapable of perfection； like some perpetual motion apparatus。 In these
cases Tom turned a deaf ear； though if the inventor were in want our hero
relieved him。
But this case did not seem to be like anything Tom had ever met with
before。
〃Contracting troubleblasting；〃 repeated the youth； as he mused over
what he had heard。
〃That's it；〃 the man went on。 〃Permit me to introduce myself〃 and he
held out a card； on which was the name
MR。 JOB TITUS
Down in the lower left…hand corner was a line：
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
〃Titus Brothers； Contractors。〃
〃I am glad to meet you； 〃Mr。 Titus；〃 Tom said warmly； offering his
hand。 〃I don't know anything about the contracting business； but if you do
blasting I suppose you use explosives； and I know a little about them。〃
〃So I have heard； and that's why I came to you；〃 the contractor went
on。 〃Now if you'll give me a few minutes of your time〃
〃You had better come up to the house；〃 interrupted Tom。 〃We can talk
more quietly there。〃
Calling a young fellow who was at work near by to occupy the gate…
house； Tom led Mr。 Titus toward the Swift homestead； and； a little later；
ushered him into the library。
〃Now I'll listen to you；〃 the youth said； 〃though I can't promise to aid
you。〃
〃I realize that；〃 returned Mr。 Titus。 〃This is a sort of last chance I'm
taking。 My brother and I have heard a lot about you； and when he wrote to
me that he was unable to proceed with his contract of tunneling the Andes
Mountains for the Peruvian government； I made up my mind you were the
one who could help us if you would。〃
〃Tunneling the Andes Mountains！〃 exclaimed Tom。
〃Yes。 The firm represented by my brother and myself have a contract
to build a railroad for the Peruvian government。 At a point some distance
back in the district east of Lima； Peru； we are making a tunnel under the
mountain。 That is； we have it started； but now we can't advance any
further。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because of the peculiar character of the rock； which seems to defy the
strongest explosive we can get。 Now I understand you used a powder in
your giant cannon that〃
Mr。 Titus paused in his explanation； for at that moment there arose
such a clatter out on the front piazza as effectually to drown conversation。
There was a noise of the hoofs of a horse； the fall of a heavy body； a tattoo
on the porch floor and then came an excited shout：
〃Whoa there！ Whoa！ Stop！ Look out where you're kicking！ Bless my
saddle blanket！ Ouch！ There I go！〃
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL
CHAPTER II
Explanations
〃What in the world is that？〃 cried Mr。 Job Titus； in alarm。
Tom Swift did not answer。 Instead he jumped up from his chair and ran
toward the front door。 Mr。 Titus followed。 They both saw a strange sight。
Standing on the front porch； which he seemed to occupy completely；
was a large horse； with a saddle twisted underneath him。 The animal was
looking about him as calmly as though he always made it a practice to
come up on the front piazza when stopping at a house。
Off to one side； with a crushed hat on the back of his head； with a coat
split up the back； with a broken riding crop in one hand and a
handkerchief in the other； sat a dignified； elderly gentleman。
That is； he would have been dignified had it not been for his position
and condition。 No gentleman can look dignified with a split coat and a
crushed hat on； sitting under the nose of a horse on a front piazza； with his
raiment otherwise much disheveled； while he wipes his scratched and
bleeding face with a handkerchief。
〃Bless mybless my〃 began the elderly gentleman； and he seemed at
a loss what particular portion of his anatomy or that of the horse； to bless；
or what portion of the universe to appeal to； for he ended up with： 〃Bless
everything； Tom Swift！〃
〃I heartily agree with you； Mr。 Damon！〃 cried Tom。 〃But what in the
world happened？〃
〃That！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Damon； pointing with his broken crop