"Nevertheless, two-miles-a-minute is my objective point, and I
do not believe it is visionary. Consider the motor-cycle. Ninety
miles an hour has long been possible with that, and some tests
have shown a speed of over a hundred and ten. That is not far
from my mark.

"Some Mallet locomotives of the oil-burning type have achieved
from eighty-five to ninety-five miles an hour with a heavy load
behind them. They are very powerful machines. The Mogul mountain
climbers are powerful, too, although they are not built for
speed.

"The electric Goliaths built for the C. M. & St. P., and the
Jandels, are both very speedy under certain conditions. The
former has a maximum speed of sixty-five miles and the Jandel
slightly faster."

"But that is only half what that Mr. Bartholomew demands of
your invention, Tom!" Mary cried.

"That is a fact. I must reach twice sixty miles an hour,
anyway, to meet his demand and gain that hundred thousand bonus.
But I have the advantage of a knowledge of all that has been done
before my time in the matter of electrical locomotive
construction."

"The world do move," repeated Ned. "You believe that you have
the edge on all the other inventors?"

"Along the line of this development--yes," said Tom. "I am