tunnel he helped to dig, brought him credit, fame, and not a
little money. He had not long been back from an expedition
to Honduras, dubbed "the land of wonders," when he was again
busy en some of his many ideas. And it was to get some
relief from his thoughts that he had taken the flight with
Mr. Damon on the day the present story opens.

"What are you so excited about, Tom?" asked his friend, as
the Hawk alighted near the shed hack of the young inventor's
home. "Bless my scarf pin! but any one would think you'd
just discovered the true method of squaring the circle."

"Well, it's almost as good as that, and more practical,"
Tom said, with a smile, as he motioned to Koku to put away
the aircraft "I know who that man is, now."

"What man, Tom?"

"The one who was questioning me when I was fixing the
airship. I kept puzzling and puzzling as to his identity,
and, all at once, it came to me. Do you know who he is, Mr.
Damon?"

"No, I can't say that I do, Tom. But, as you say, there
was something vaguely familiar about him. It seemed as if I
must have seen him before, and yet--"

"That's just the way it struck me. What would you say if I
told you that man was Blakeson, of Blakeson and Grinder, the
rival tunnel contractors who made such trouble for us?"