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〃Don't answer me now；〃 broke in Mr。 Period。 〃Take four minutes to
think it over。 Or even five。 I guess I can wait that long。 Take five minutes。
I'll wait while you make up your mind； but I know you'll do it。 Five
minutesno more；' and hastily getting up off the box Mr。 Period began
impatiently pacing up and down the shop。
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
CHAPTER II
A MAN IN THE SNOW BANK
Tom Swift looked somewhat in surprise at his strange visitor。 It had
all happened so suddenly； the offer had been such a strange one； the man
himselfMr。 Periodwas so odd； that our hero hardly knew what to think。
The moving picture agent continued pacing up and down the room now
and then looking at his watch as if to note when the five minutes had
passed。
〃No；〃 said Tom to himself。 〃I'm not going to take this offer。 There's too
much work and risk attached to it。 I want to stay at home and work on my
noiseless motor for the airship。 After that wellI don't know what I'll do。
I'll tell Mr。 Period that he needn't wait the five minutes。 My mind is made
up now！〃
But as Tom was about to make this announcement； and dismiss his
caller； he looked again at the visitor。 There was something attractive about
himabout his hasty way of talking； about his manner of interrupting；
about the way he proposed matters。 Tom was interested in spite of himself。
〃Well；〃 he reflected； 〃I may as well wait until the five minutes are up；
anyhow。〃
Koku； the giant servant； glanced at his young master； as if to ask if
there was anything that he could do。 Tom shook his head； and then the big
man strolled over to the other side of the machine shop； at the same time
keeping a careful eye on Mr。 Period。
While Tom is waiting for the time to expire； I will take a few minutes
to tell you something more about him。 Those of my friends who have read
the previous books in this series need no introduction to my hero； but
those who may chance upon this as their first book in the Tom Swift series；
will like to be more formally introduced。
Tom； whose mother had been dead some years； lived with his father；
Barton Swift； in the town of Shopton。 Mr。 Swift was an inventor of
prominence； and his son was fast following in his footsteps。 A Mrs。
Baggert kept house for the Swifts； and another member of the household
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was Eradicate Sampson； an aged colored man； who said he used to
〃eradicate〃 the dirt。 He had been with Tom on many trips； but of late was
getting old and feeble。 Then there was Garret Jackson； an engineer
employed by the Swifts。 These were all the immediate members of the
household。
Tom had a chum； Ned Newton； who used to work in a bank； and there
was a girl； Mary Nestor； a daughter of Amos Nestor； in which young lady
Tom was much interested。
Eradicate Sampson had a mule； Boomerang； of whom he thought
almost as much as he did of Tom。 Eradicate was a faithful friend and
servant； but； of late； Koku； or August； the giant； had rather supplanted him。
I must not forget Mr。 Wakefield Damon； of Waterfield； a village near
Shopton。 Mr。 Damon was an odd man； always blessing everything。 He and
Tom were good friends； and had been on many trips together。
The first book of the series was called 〃Tom Swift and His Motor…
Cycle；〃 and related how Tom bought the cycle from Mr。 Damon； after the
latter had met with an accident on it； and it was in this way that our hero
became acquainted with the odd man。
Tom had many adventures on his motor…cycle； and； later on he secured
a motor…boat； in which he beat his enemy； Andy Foger； in a race。 Next
Tom built an airship； and in this he went on a wonderful trip。 Returning
from this he and his father heard about a treasure sunken under the ocean。
In his submarine boat Tom secured the valuables； and made a large sum
for himself。
In his electric runabout； which was the swiftest car on the road； Tom
was able to save from ruin a bank in which his father was interested； and；
a short time after that； he went on a trip in an airship； with a man who had
invented a new kind。 The airship was smashed； and fell to Earthquake
Island； where there were some refugees from a shipwreck； among them
being the parents of Mary Nestor。 In the volume called 〃Tom Swift and
His Wireless Message；〃 I told how he saved these people。
When Tom went among the diamond makers he had more strange
adventures； on that trip discovering the secret of phantom mountain。 He
had bad luck when he went to the caves of ice； for there his airship was
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TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA
wrecked。
When Tom made the trip in his sky racer he broke all records for an
aerial flight； incidentally saving his father's life。 It was some time after this
when he invented an electric rifle； and went to elephant land； to rescue
some missionaries from the red pygmies。
The eleventh volume of the series is called 〃Tom Swift in the Land of
Gold；〃 and relates his adventures underground； while the next one tells of
a new machine he inventedan air…glider which he used to save the
exiles of Siberia； incidentally； on that trip； finding a valuable deposit of
platinum。
As I have said； it was on his trip to giant land that Tom got his big
servant。 This book； the thirteenth of the series； is called 〃Tom Swift in
Captivity；〃 for the giants captured him and his friends； and it was only by
means of their airship that they made their daring escape。
Tom had been back from the strange land some time now。 One giant he
had turned over to the circus representative for whom he had undertaken
the mission； and the other he retained to work around his shop； as
Eradicate was getting too old。 It was now winter； and there had been quite
a fall of snow the day before Mr。 Period； the odd moving picture man；
called on Tom。 There were ma