Eradicate, or "Rad," and Koku, have been mentioned. Rad was an
ancient colored man who once owned a mule named Boomerang.
Sampson was the colored servant's last name, and he declared he
had chosen the one "Eradicate" because in his younger days he was
a great cleaner and whitewasher, "eradicating" the dirt, so to
speak.

Boomerang had, some time since, gone where all good mules go,
though Eradicate declared he would get another and call him
Boomerang II. But, so far, he had not done so.

Rad, though too old to do heavy work, still believed he was
indispensable to the welfare of Tom and his father; and as the
giant Koku, who was physically an immense man, held the same
view, it followed there were frequent clashes between the two, as
on the occasion just mentioned.

"What was the matter, Tom?" asked Ned, when the young inventor
came back into the room.

"Oh, the same old story," replied Tom. "Rad wanted to sweep the
hall, and Koku insisted he was to do it."

"What'd you do, Tom?" asked Mr. Damon.

"I settled it by having Rad sweep this hall and sending Koku to
do another--a bigger one I told him. He likes hard work, so he
was pleased. Now we'll have it quiet for a little while. Did I
understand you to say, Mr. Damon, that--er--Mr. Hardley I believe