"Appleton, Victor - Tom Swift Sr 020 - Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders" - читать интересную книгу автора (Appleton Victor)

Besides Tom and his father, the Swift household was made up of
Eradicate Sampson, a colored man-of-all-work, who, with his mule Boomerang,
did what he could to keep the grounds around the house in order. There was
also Mrs. Baggert, the housekeeper, Tom's mother being dead. Mr. Damon,
living in a neighboring town, was a frequent visitor in the Swift home.

Mary Nestor, a girl of Shopton, might also be mentioned. She and Tom
were more than just good friends. Tom had an idea that some day -- -- . But
there, I promised not to tell that part, at least until the young people
themselves were ready to have a certain fact announced.

From one activity to another had Tom Swift gone, now constructing some
important invention for himself, as among others, when he made the
photo-telephone, or developed a great searchlight which he presented to the
Government for use in detecting smugglers on the border.

The book immediately preceding this is called ``Tom Swift and His Bit,
Tunnel,'' and deals with the efforts of the young inventor to help a firm
of contractors penetrate a mountain in Peru. How this was done and how,
incidentally,

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the lost city of Pelone was discovered, bringing joy to the heart of
Professor Swyington Bumper, will be found fully set forth in the book.

Tom had been back from the Peru trip for some months, when we again
find him interested in some of the work of Professor Bumper, as set forth
in the magazine mentioned.

``Well, he certainly is having some conversation,'' reflected Ned, as,
after more than five minutes, Tom's ear was still at the receiver of the
instrument, into the transmitter of which he had said only a few words.

``All right,'' Tom finally answered, as he hung the receiver up,
``I'll be here,'' and then he turned to Ned, whose curiosity had been
growing with the telephone talk, and remarked:

``That certainly was wonderful!''

``What was?'' asked Ned. ``Do you think I'm a mind reader to be able
to guess?''

``No, indeed! I beg your pardon. I'll tell you at once. But I couldn't
break away. It was too important. To whom do you think I was talking just
then?''

``I can imagine almost any one, seeing I know something of what you