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Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers

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diamond makers. The mixing machine had now been stopped, and, as it was more quiet in the cave, our friends, in their hiding- place, had to speak in mere whispers. All the men were now gathered about the great steel box. This receptacle had been closed by a solid metal door, which was screwed and clamped tight. Then one of the men examined a number of heavily insulated electric wires that extended from the box off into the darkness where Tom and his companions could not discern them. "That's Folwell--the man I befriended, and who got me into this game," whispered Mr. Jenks. "He was also one of the first to turn against me. I think he's one of the leaders." Folwell came back, after having gone into a dark part of the cave. He went over to an electrical switch on one of the stone walls. "It's almost time," Tom heard him say to his confederates. "The storm is coming up rapidly." "Will it be severe enough?" asked one of the helpers. "We had all our work for nothing last time. The flashes weren't heavy enough." "These will be," asserted Folwell. "The indicator shows nearly a million volts now, and it's increasing." "A million volts!" exclaimed Tom. "I hope it doesn't strike anywhere around here." "Oh, it will probably be harmlessly conducted down on the heavy wires," said Mr. Parker. "We are in no danger, at present, though ultimately I expect to see the whole mountain shattered by a lightning bolt." "Cheerful prospect," murmured Tom. There was a terrific crash outside. The rocky floor of the cave trembled. "Here she comes!" cried Folwell. "Get back, everybody! I'm going to throw over the switch now!" The men retreated well away from the steel box. Folwell threw over the lever--the same one Mr. Jenks remembered pulling. Then the man ran to the electric switch on the wall, and snapped that into place, establishing a connection. There was a moment's pause, as Folwell ran to join the others in their place of safety. Then from without there came a most nerve-racking and terrifying crash. It seemed as if the very mountain would be rent into fragments. Watching with eager eyes, the adventurers saw sparks flash from the steel box. Instantly it became red hot, and then glowed white and incandescent. It was almost at the melting point. Then came comparative quiet, as the echoes of the thunder died away amid the mountain peaks. "I guess that did the trick!" cried Folwell. "It was a terrific crash all right!" He and the others ran forward. The steel box was now a cherry red, for it was cooling. Folwell threw back the lever, and another man disconnected the switch. There was a period of waiting until the box was cool enough to open. Then the heavy door was swung back. With a long iron rod Folwell drew something from the retort. It was the tray which had held the white balls. But they were white no longer, for they had been turned into diamonds. From their hiding-place Tom and the others could see the flashing gems, for, in spite of the fact that the diamonds were uncut, some of them sparkled most brilliantly, due to the peculiar manner in which they were made. "We have the secret of the diamonds!" whispered Mr. Jenks. "There must be a quart of the gems there!" The men gathered about Folwell, uttering exclamations of delight. The diamonds were too hot to handle yet. "That's going some!" exclaimed the chief of the diamond makers. "We have a small fortune here." The was a sudden commotion at one end of the cave. A man rushed in. At the sight of him Tom stared and uttered an exclamation. "Munson--the stowaway!" he whispered. "Hello!" cried Folwell, as he saw his confederate. "I thought you were East, keeping Jenks away from here." "He got the best of me!" cried Munson, "he and that Tom Swift! I stowed away on their airship, but they found me out by a wireless message, and marooned me in the woods. I've been trying to get here ever since! Didn't you get my messages of warning?" "No--what warnings ?" cried Folwell. "About Jenks, Tom Swift and the others. They're here--they must be on Phantom Mountain now. In fact, I shouldn't be surprised if they were in this cave. I traced them to their camp, but they're gone. They may be among us now--in some of the secret recesses!" For an instant Folwell stared at the bearer of these tidings. Then he cried out: "Scatter men, and find these fellows! We must get them before they discover our secret!" "It's too late--we know it!" exulted Tom Swift. Then he whispered to the others to hurry to the part of the cave where Bill Renshaw had first hidden them. CHAPTER XXII - PRISONERS "Do you think there is any danger of them finding us?" asked Mr. Damon, as he hurried along beside Tom. "I'm afraid so," was the answer. "I've been worried ever since we saw Munson heading this way. But we couldn't do any differently." "Perhaps Bill Renshaw may be able to conceal us," suggested Mr. Jenks. "Very likely he knows that Munson is on hand. Perhaps we will be safe for a while. I want to make a few more observations as to how they manufacture the diamonds, and then, with what I already know, I'll have the secret." "And I'd like to make some scientific tests of the sides and bottom rocks of the cave," spoke Mr. Parker. "I think it will bear out my theory that the mountain will soon be destroyed." "Well, you were right about Earthquake Island, and you may be right about this mountain," said Tom, "but if it is going to be annihilated I hope we get far enough away from it." We can keep our presence here a secret for a few more days, I think that will be long enough," proceeded Mr. Jenks. "Then we will leave." "And, in the meanwhile, they'll be searching for us," objected Mr. Damon. "I wish that ghost-chap would come back and tell us what to do. Bless my liver-pin, but we are going to be in considerable danger, I'm afraid! Those men may capture us, and decide to make diamond dust from us." "Come on--hurry to the little cave," urged Tom. "Then we'll get ready to defend ourselves." "The main cave is a large one," said Mr. Jenks, "and there are many hiding places in it. In fact, it is so large that it will take those fellows several days to complete a circuit of it. By that time Bill Renshaw may come back, and take us to some place in which they have already searched for us. Then we'll be

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