"Humph! I guess Koku must have grabbed him," said Tom softly. "I don't like that sort of a visitor. What's his hurry getting in here?" and our hero looked about, to see if he had a weapon at hand in case of attack. Often cranks had forced their way into his shop, with pet inventions which they wanted him to perfect after they had themselves failed. Torn saw a heavy iron bar at hand, and knew this would serve to protect him.
"You come after me!" exclaimed Koku, when the voice of the other had ceased. "Do you stand under me?"
"Oh, yes, I understand all right. I'll keep back. But I didn't mean anything. I'm just in a hurry to see Tom Swift, that is all. I'm always in a hurry in fact. I've lost nearly a thousand dollars this morning, just by this delay. I want to see Mr. Swift at once; and have a talk with him."
"Another crank, I guess," mused Tom. "Well, I'm not going to waste much time on him."
A moment later the door opened, and into the shop stepped Koku, followed by a short, stout, fussy little man, wearing a flaming red tie, but otherwise his clothes were not remarkable.
"Is this Mr. Tom Swift?" asked the stranger,
