Tom Swift and His War Tank; Or, Doing His Bit for Uncle Sam

ng T

ing of what was passing in the mind of the young bond

m the draft, to which I am eligible, but, believe me, there's a reason. I can't say anything now, b

just wondering, that's all. I wanted to go to the front the worst way, but they w

y yet

? Why, I

ldn't do 'em if I enlisted or was drafted. So I've been excused for a time.

s. Your father ju

ow, even if I don't enlist. Put me down

make my share bigger than I counte

strong and hearty for our hom

utdo one another in guarding that part of your p

it keeps him and Koku from quarreling all the while. I've got to be pretty careful ab

curiosity aroused,

d I'll give you a ride. I've got to go over to Sackett o

at

e H

"I haven't been in an

om. "I've got to go in and say hello to

was in the wind, Tom-b

s. It all depends o

awk or-Mary Nestor!" said Ned,

n he hastened away, to return shortly and guide his

d the matters they had been discussing-Tom's failure to enlist, hi

take him long, and then he and Ned

sons. One was that Ned was sitting behind him, and the other was that Ned wore heavy goggles, as

reed Tom. "We've had some great old e

e were in the submarine, and in your big airship. Say, t

Tom. "Well, ma

pocket in the air just then, and needed a firm hand on the controls. Furthermor

tened out and the pilot guided h

d through the tube as the faint, sweet notes

m. "But there are other things to do

judge him too hastily, or I might make a mistak

about certain of his activities. And the girl, moreover, had spoken rather coldl

Swift works. Just as Tom and Ned alighted, one of the workmen summoned the young inven

m, as he turned away from his chum. "There

iness, you know. I've got some bond ca

ning back for a moment, "I met an old fri

an Professor Swyington Bumper, that delightful sci

me time. I met Blakeson, one of the rival co

? Where'd y

ace him. Then the memory of his face came back to me," and Tom related the

ing around he

han I can say,

good, I'

came from Tom. "Bu

om. Well, I'll

k, and, he made no doubt, his chum was engaged also. This prevented them from

the boys are asking why he doesn't enlist, and maybe if I tell him that he'll make some e

e of trees, which would lead to a path across the fields, when the young bond salesman was surprised to hear some

n a hurry,"

nning toward him. The boy had his hat in his hand, and was speeding

ops and robbers?" That was a game Tom an

!" panted Harry. "I

What was it-a ghost?" and he laughed

ok over his shoulder. "It was a wild elephant that I s

"The circus hasn't come to

s. I saw this elephant down in the big ya

it!" exclaimed Ned.

ere's one place where, if you climb a tree, you can look right down in th

had that tree cut down. He doesn't want any spying, I

in the tree, looking down, for a lot of us kids has tried to pe

you?" a

ll at once, when I was lookin', I saw the big doors at

eing things,' like the little

ny elephant I ever saw in any circus. It didn't seem to have any tail or trunk, or even legs

se!" cr

ed, after a moment's thought, "it was as big a

it do?"

e, where I was up in the tree. I thought it might have seen me, ev

, but, while he made light of what the boy told him, the