In a short time they were landed at a dock not far from the Swift shops, and Tom was soon in telephonic communication with Mr. Jackson, who was both surprised and delighted to hear from his missing employer. “Ned’s safe, too!” Tom said. “Get word to his folks as soon as you can.” “That’s what I’ll do, Mr. Swift!” said the shop superintendent. “But where have you been? We’ve had the police for miles around looking for you two. What happened?” “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later,” Tom said. “But how are things at the shop?” “Well, we’ve had some trouble, and that fellow Greenbaum——” But there, to Tom’s disgust, the connection was broken, nor, do what he would to attract the operator, could he restore it again. “We’ve got to hurry back, Ned!” exclaimed the young inventor. “Those scoundrels are still at their tricks!” CHAPTER XII GREENBAUM THREATENS More than ever anxious, as much by what Mr. Jackson had left unsaid as by what had come to him over the wire before the interruption, Tom Swift hailed a taxicab and in it rode to his home, stopping, since it was on his way, to let Ned Newton off at the latter’s home. “Don’t talk too much—outside your own family circle—of what happened, Ned,” was the warning Tom gave his chum as they parted. “I won’t. But you aren’t going to let the matter drop here, are you?” “I should say not! But I want to swoop down on those fellows before they know it.” Tom found his father excited by the sudden news over his son’s safety, but it was a joyous reaction after the dismal news brought back by Mr. Damon and Koku, following the episode of the motorboat chase. “What happened after I left you?” Tom asked Mr. Damon, who had been pretty constantly at the Swift home following the kidnapping of the young inventor and his manager. “After you _left_ us?” repeated the eccentric man somewhat dazedly. “You mean——?” “I mean after I fell overboard,” said Tom, with a smile. “Oh, yes. Well, neither Koku nor I knew how to manage the _Gull_, and your friend Bill Tagg wasn’t any better off, bless my rudder!” said Mr. Damon. “So we just let her run, and she slued around so much and acted so queerly after you were taken aboard the other boat that some fellows in a sailboat came to our aid. We told them what had happened—without going too much into your private affairs, Tom—and one of the men got aboard the _Gull_ and brought us back to the dock where we started from. Then I hurried here to tell your father.” “Then I got in touch with the police,” said Mr. Swift, taking up the story, “for I guessed that those aboard that other boat were your enemies, Tom. But the police didn’t know where to look. So what with you gone and nothing heard of Ned, we were in a great stew.”