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them on the market？ If you are I'd like to get one。 I want the fastest car
going； and you seem to have it。〃
〃I hadn't thought of manufacturing them for sale；〃 said the young
inventor。 〃If I do； I'll let you know。〃
〃I wish you would。 My！ I had no idea you could beat me； but you did
fair and square。〃
There was some more talk； and then Mr。 Layton started on； after
exacting from Tom a further promise to let him know if any electrics were
to be made for sale。
〃You certainly have a wonderful car；〃 complimented Ned； as he and
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
his chum took a short cut to Shopton。
〃Well； I'm not quite satisfied with it；〃 declared Tom。
〃Why not？〃
〃Well； I've set a hundred miles an hour as my limit。 I didn't make but
eighty to…day。 I've got to have more speed if I go up against the crowd that
will race for the touring club's prize。〃
〃Can you make a hundred miles？〃
〃I think so。 I've got to change my gears； though； and use heavier fuses。
I was afraid every second that one of the fuses would melt； and leave me
stranded。 But they stood pretty well。 Of course； when the car； geared as it
is now； has been run a little longer it will go faster； but it won't come up to
a hundred miles an hour。 That's what I want； and that's what I'm going to
get；〃 and the lad looked very determined。
Ned was taken to the bank； and； as Tom turned his machine around； to
go home； he saw； standing on the steps of the new bank； which was almost
across the street from the old one； Andy Foger； and the bully's father。 The
red…haired lad laughed at Tom's rough looking car； and said something to
his parent； but Mr。 Foger did not notice Tom。 Not that this caused our hero
any uneasiness； however。
But； as he swung away from the bank； he saw； coming up the street a
figure that instantly attracted his attention。 It was that of Mr。 Berg； and
Tom at once recalled the night he had pursued the submarine agent； and
torn loose his watch charm。 Mr。 Berg was evidently going to enter the new
bank； for； at the sight of the former agent； Mr。 Foger descended the steps；
and went to meet him。
Tom； however； had decided upon a plan of action。 He steered his
machine in toward the curb； ran up the steel wind…shield； and called：
〃Mr。 Berg！〃
〃Eh？ What's that？〃 asked the agent； in some surprise。 Then； as he
caught sight of Tom； and recognized him； he added： 〃I'm very busy now；
my young friend。 You'll have to excuse me。〃
〃I won't detain you a moment；〃 went on Tom； casually。 〃I have
something of yours that I wish to return to you。〃
〃Something of mine？〃 Mr。 Berg was evidently puzzled。 He approached
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
the electric car； in spite of the fact that Mr。 Foger was calling him。
〃Something of mine？ What is it？〃
〃This！〃 exclaimed Tom suddenly； extending the compass watch charm；
which he always carried with him of late。
〃That！ Where did you get that。 I lost it〃
Mr。 Berg paused in some confusion。
〃I grabbed it off your watch chain the night you were hiding in our
shrubbery； and tripped me into the brook；〃 answered the lad； looking the
man squarely in the eye。
〃Hiding？ Tripped you？ Grabbed that off my chain〃 stammered Mr。
Berg。 He had taken the charm up in his fingers； but now he quickly
dropped it back into Tom's hand。 〃I guess you're mistaken；〃 he added
quickly。 〃That's not mine。 I never had one Ierthat's not mineat least…
…Oh； you'll have to excuse me； young man； I'm in a hurry； and I have an
important engagement！〃 and with that Mr。 Berg wheeled off； and joined
Mr。 Foger； who stood on the sidewalk； waiting for him。
〃I thought sure it was yours；〃 said Tom； easily。 〃Perhaps Mr。 Foger
will keep it in one of the safety…deposit boxes of his bank； until the owner
claims it；〃 and he looked at the banker。
〃What's that？〃 asked Andy's father。
〃This watch charm which I grabbed off Mr。 Berg's chain the night he
was sneaking around our house； and crossed the electric wires；〃 went on
the lad。
〃Don't listen to him。 He doesn't know what he is saying！〃 exclaimed
the former submarine boat agent。 〃It's not my charm。 He's crazy！〃
〃Oh； am I？〃 thought Tom； with a grim look on his face。 〃Well； we'll
see about that； Mr。 Berg；〃 and； putting the charm back in his pocket； Tom
swung his machine toward home； while the agent and the banker entered
the new institution。
〃So they're getting chummy；〃 mused Tom。 〃Andy and Berg were
friends when Andy shut me up in the submarine tank； and now Berg
comes here to do business； and Foger and his associates are trying to put
the old bank out of business。 I wonder if there's any connection there？ I
must keep my eyes open。 Berg is an unscrupulous man； and so is Andy's
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT or The Speediest Car on the Road
father； to say nothing of the red…haired bully himself。 He had nerve to deny
that was his charm。 Well； maybe I'll catch him some day。〃
Tom spent a busy week making new adjustments to his electric car；
changing the gear and providing for heavier fuses。 He was planning for
another trip on the road； as the time for the great race was drawing near；
and he wanted the mechanism to be in perfect shape。
One evening； as he was preparing for a short night trip to Mansburg；
where he had promised to call for Miss Nestor； Tom left his machine
standing in the road in front of the house； while he went back to get a robe；
as it threatened to be chilly。
As he came back to enter the car； he saw some one standing near it。
〃Is that you； Ned？〃 he called。 〃Come； take a spin。〃
Hardly had he spoken than there sounded from the machine a whirr
that told of the current being turned on。
〃Don't do that！〃 cried Tom； knowing at once that it could not be Ned；
who never meddled with the machinery。
A blinding flash and a loud report followed； and Tom saw some one
leap from his car； and try to run away。 But the figure stumbled； and； a
moment later the young inventor was upon him； grappling with him。
〃Here！ Let me go！〃 cried a voice； and Tom ut