This is something else," and Tom told of the
trouble with the big hammer.
"I had an idea," the young inventor said, "that the man at the
machine let it get out of order purposely, so I'd change him. I
want to see if my suspicions are correct."
Tom carefully inspected the hammer by the light of a powerful
portable electric lamp Ned held.
"Ha! There it is!" Tom suddenly exclaimed.
"Something wrong?" Ned inquired.
"Yes. This is what's been throwing the hammer off the guides
all the while," and Tom pulled out a small steel bolt that had
been slipped into an oil hole. A certain amount of vibration, he
explained to Ned, would rattle the bolt out so that it would
force the hammer to one side, throwing it off the channel-plates,
and rendering it useless for the time being.
"A foxy trick," commented Tom. "No wonder the machine got out
of kilter so easily."
"Do you think it was done purposely?"
"Well, I'm not going to say. But I'm going to watch that man.
He wants to be transferred to the airship department. He put this
in the hammer, perhaps, to have an excuse for a change. Well,
I'll give it to him."
"You don't mean that you'd take a fellow like that and put him
to work on your new aerial warship, do you, Tom?"
"Yes, I think I will, Ned.
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