"Crossed wires! I should say they were crossed!" he exclaimed
as he looked at the switches and copper conductors. "Somebody has
been tampering with them. No wonder I was shocked!"
"Who did it?" asked Mr. Sharp.
Tom considered for a moment, before answering. Then he said:
"I believe it was Addison Berg. He must have wanted to do some
damage, to get even with us for getting that treasure away from
him."
"Berg?" questioned the balloonist, and Tom told of the night he
had been tripped into the brook, and exhibited the watch charm he
had secured. Mr. Sharp recognized it at once. A further
examination confirmed the belief that the submarine agent had
sneaked into Tom's workshop, and had altered the wires.
"They were all right when I came out of the shop that night,"
declared Tom. "I left the old connections just as I thought I had
arranged them, and only added the new ones, when I went to try my
battery. The old connections were crossed, but I didn't notice
it. Then when I turned on the current I got the shock. I don't
s'pose Berg thought I'd be so nearly killed. Probably he wanted
to burn out my motor, and spoil it. If it was Andy Foger I could
understand it, but a man like Berg--"
"He's probably wild with anger because his submarine got the
worst of it in the race for the gold," interrupted the
balloonist.
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