deaf ear, though if the inventor were in want our hero
relieved him.

But this case did not seem to be like anything Tom had
ever met with before.

"Contracting trouble--blasting," repeated the youth, as he
mused over what he had heard.

"That's it," the man went on. "Permit me to introduce
myself" and he held out a card, on which was the name

MR. JOB TITUS


Down in the lower left-hand corner was a line:

"Titus Brothers, Contractors."

"I am glad to meet you, Mr. Titus," Tom said warmly,
offering his hand. "I don't know anything about the
contracting business, but if you do blasting I suppose you
use explosives, and I know a little about them."

"So I have heard, and that's why I came to you," the
contractor went on. "Now if you'll give me a few minutes of
your time--"

"You had better come up to the house," interrupted Tom.
"We can talk more quietly there."