Fantasy Football Challenge - Football Fanatics Library

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Fantasy Football Challenge presents
Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers

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"And recover my airship," added Tom, who was a bit uneasy regarding the safety of the Red Cloud. "Then, bless my finger-rings! let's go and see if we can find the big cave your friend the ghost told us of," suggested Mr. Damon. Cautiously they made their way along the passage Bill had pointed out. As they went forward the subdued noise became louder, and finally they could feel the vibration of machinery. "This is the place," whispered Mr. Jenks. "That sound we hear is one of the mixing machines, for grinding the materials--carbon and the other substances--which go to make up the diamonds. I remember hearing that when I was in the cave before." "Then we must be near the place," observed Tom. "Yes, but I didn't have much chance to look around when I was here before. They wouldn't let me. I never even knew of the small cave Bill took us to." "Well, if we're close to it, we'd better go cautiously, and not talk any more than we're obliged to," suggested Mr. Parker, and they agreed that this was good advice. They walked on softly. Suddenly Tom, who was in the lead, saw a gleam of light. "We're here," he whispered. "I'll put out our lantern, now," which he did. Then, stealing forward he and the others beheld a curious sight. The tunnel they were in ended at a small hole which opened into a large cavern, and, fortunately, this opening was concealed from the view of those in the main place. "The diamond makers!" whispered Tom, hoarsely, pointing to several men grouped about a number of strange machines. "Yes--the very place where I was," answered Mr. Jenks, "and there is the apparatus--the steel box--from which the diamonds are taken --now to see how they make them." Fascinated, the adventurers looked into the cave. The men there were unaware of the presence of our friends, and were busily engaged. Some attended to the grinding machine, the roar and clatter of which made it possible for Tom and the others to talk and move about without being overheard. Into this machine certain ingredients were put, and they were then pulverized, and taken out in powdery form. The power to run the mixing machine was a gasoline motor, which chug-chugged away in one corner of the cave. As the powder was taken out, other men fashioned it into small balls, which were put on pan, and into a sort of oven, that was heated by a gasoline stove. "Is that how they make the diamonds?" asked Mr. Damon. "That is evidently the first step," said Mr. Jenks. "Those balls of powdered chemicals are partly baked, and then they are put into the steel box. In some way terrific heat and pressure are applied, and the diamonds are made. But how the heat and pressure are obtained is what we have yet to learn." He paused to watch the men at work. They were all busy, some attending to the machines, and others coming and going in and out of the cave. In one part a man was apparently getting ready a meal. Suddenly there rushed into the cave a man who seemed much excited. "Are you nearly ready with that stuff?" he cried. "There's a good storm gathering on the mountain!" "Yes, we'll be ready in half an hour," answered one of the men at the mixing machine. "Good. It will be flashing lightning bolts then, and we can see what luck we have. The last batch was a failure." The man hurried out again. Mr. Parker touched Tom and Mr. Jenks on their shoulders. "What is it?" asked Tom. "I know the secret of making the diamonds,~ said the scientist. "What?" cried Mr. Jenks. "It is by the awful power of the lightning bolts!" whispered Mr. Parker. "Everything is explained now--the reason why they make diamonds in this lonely place, near the top of the mountain. They need a place where the lightning is powerful. I can understand it now--I suspected it before. They make diamonds by lightning!" "Are you sure?" cried Mr. Jenks. "Positive." "I agree with you," said Tom Swift. "I was just getting on that track myself, when I saw the electric wires running to the steel box. That explains the upright rod on the top of the mountain. The man says a storm is coming --very well; we'll stay here and watch them make diamonds!" As he spoke there came the mutter of thunder, and the mountain vibrated slightly. The men in the cave redoubled their activity. Tom and his friends felt that the secret process they had so long sought was about to be demonstrated before their eyes. CHAPTER XXI - FLASHING GEMS Eagerly the adventurers looked through the opening at the end of the passage into the larger cave. The men opened the small oven in which the balls of white chemicals and carbon mixed, had been baked, and a pile of things, that looked like irregularly- shaped marbles, were placed in the steel box. This box, which was about the size of a trunk, was of massive metal. It was placed in a recess in the solid rock, and all about were layers of asbestos and other substances that were nonconductors of heat. "That box becomes red hot," exclaimed Mr. Jenks, in a whisper. "When things are in readiness, that lever is pulled and the diamonds are made. I pulled it once, but I did not then know the process involved. I supposed that the lightning had nothing to do with making the diamonds." "It has--a most important part," said Mr. Parker. The hidden adventurers could talk in perfect safety now, for the men in the large cave were too excited to pay much attention to them. The muttering of the thunder grew louder, and at times a particularly loud crash told that a bolt had struck somewhere in the vicinity of the cave. "But, bless my watch-charm!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "I didn't know lightning made diamonds." "It does not--always," went on the scientist. "But great heat and pressure are necessary to create the gems. In nature this was probably obtained by prehistoric volcanic fires, and by the terrific pressure of immense rocks. It is possible to make diamonds in the laboratory of the chemist, but they are so minute as to be practically valueless. "However, these men seem to have hit upon a new plan. They utilize the terrific heat of lightning, and the pressure which is instantaneously obtained when the bolt strikes. I am anxious to see how it is done. Look, I think they are getting ready to make the gems." Indeed there seemed to be an air of expectancy among the

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