Tom Swift and His Wireless Message; Or, The Castaways of Earthquake Island

and help you?" asked the yo

ut hiring a cook?" she in

't," the lad was

you. I'll see if I can engage one. The cook who just left went away because I asked he

spoke Tom,

o get now will make them, I'll invite you ov

d the cook are there," declared Tom, boldly, and Mar

she said, i

nt on Tom, "at least let me call and ta

much trouble," pro

some piano wire, and then I'll call back here for yo

ok may get frightened, and leave before s

lled Tom, as he swung the car out away from the curb,

message to Mr. Hostner F

you all I can. Will not promise to make your el

o the telegraph agent, and the latt

all about airships, and things like

-entered his electric car, and hastened back to the intelligence office, where he had left his friend. He sa

with a little tragic ges

dly. "Does the new cook refuse to come

ome. She said walking was the only way she would go. She hasn't been in this country long. But the worst of it is that a rich woman has just telephoned in for a cook, a

That's queer. Leave it to me, Mary, and perhaps I can fix it

intelligence office. I know the one I have hired is suspicious of me, since I have mentioned your c

and perhaps I can make amends. I'll talk t

She won't come, and all my girl friends will ar

left the car, and walked toward the office. Entering it, with Miss Nestor in his wak

want to ride in an

," answered the girl, but not impudently. "I am afeered of

't own one,

l only

ing," Tom went on, "and there is absol

pped the

ng, and Tom and Mary, listening, could hear the proprietress of t

ispered Mary, with a nod at the

er one of the assistants of the office led out from a rear room another I

ary Nestor had hired. "I'm off now. The carriage

Sarah," wi

ated farm wagon, drawn by two rusty-loo

tress of the office. "You will have a nice ride t

the wagon, leaving a woman, evidently

' we'll drive right out hum. Then you

of; eh, Sarah?" asked the cook whom Miss Nes

mortification. Tom was quick to

e in the automobile. I have one of the very latest models,

s boastin' of the fine place she had, an' th' illigant carriage that was comin' t' take her to the counthry. If that's it I want none o

in her elegantly appointed carriage, while Sarah, with tears of m

ss Nestor, as the young inventor increased th

apple turnovers,"

en safely delivered at Miss Nestor's home, while that young lady repeated her thanks to Tom, and renewed her invitation for him t

eed, when, as he turned down a country road, leading to his home, he saw, coming toward

oing out driving? His auto must be out of commission. But that's not strange, c

might be skittish. He need have no fears, however, for the animal did

ee Andy deliberately swing his horse across the road,

ed Tom, indignantly, as he brought his car t

ut the property in front of which he had halted. "I'm in the real estate business now," went on Andy, "and I'm

rted Tom. "That's against the

I don't

'll mak

napped Andy. "If you make trouble fo

, there'll be no trouble," said Tom, se

sh putting down this description," and the bull

energy. "I'm not going to stand for this! Eith

l you do?" dema

e side, and you can t

on't d

eh? Just y

f the motor, and the electric moved ahead. Andy had conti

me!" yelled Andy. "If you d

'll shove you off the roa

go until I

lowly but surely. It was within a few feet of the carriage containing A

s a quiet, sleepy one, that would not run away, no matter what happened,

uto came up agains

op!" cried An

now," answere

more power, and the carriage began to slide across

e auto was open. But the blow never fell, for, the next instant, the carriage gave a lurch as one of the wheels sl

" gasped Tom, as he leaped from his

e. He had been most effectually knocked out entirely by his own meanness and fault, but, none the less,