human
What do you mean by shooting at me? he demanded.
gpt
What do you mean, I say? The idea of scaring honest folks out of their wits, and making 'em think the end of the world has come! What do you mean by it? Why don't you answer me? I say, Tom Swift, why don't you answer me?
human
Because you don't give me a chance, Mr. Moker,
gpt
I want to know why you shot at me? I demand to know! and Mr. Moker, who was a sort of miserly town character, living all alone in a small house, just beyond Tom's home, again shook his fist almost in the lad's face.
human
Why don't you tell me? Why don't you tell me?
gpt
I will, if you give me a chance! fairly exploded Tom.
human
If you can be cool for five minutes, and come inside and tell me what happened I'll be glad to answer any of your questions, Mr. Moker. I didn't shoot at you.
gpt
Yes, you did! You tried to shoot a hole through me!
human
Tell me about it? suggested Tom, as the excited man calmed down somewhat.
gpt
Are you hurt?
human
No, but it isn't your fault that I'm not. You tried hard enough to hurt me. Here I am, sitting at my table reading, and, all at once something goes through the side of the house, whizzes past my ear, makes my hair fairly stand up on end, and goes outside the other side of the house. What kind of bullets do you use, Tom Swift? that's what I want to know. They went through the side of my house, and never left a mark. I demand to know what kind they are.
gpt
I'll tell you, if you'll only give me a chance, went on Tom wearily.
human
How do you know it was me shooting?
gpt
How do I know? Why, doesn't the end of this shooting gallery of yours point right at my house? Of course it does; you can't deny it!
human
Now what do you mean by it?
gpt
If any of the bullets from my electric gun went near you, it was a mistake, and I'm sorry for it,
human
Well, they did, all right, declared the excited man.
gpt
They went right past my ear.
human
I don't see how they could, declared Tom.
gpt
I was trying my new electric rifle, but I had the limit set for two hundred feet, the length of the gallery. That is, the electrical discharge couldn't go beyond that distance.
human
I don't know what it was, but it went through the side of my house all the same, insisted Mr. Moker.
gpt
It didn't make a hole, but it scorched the wall paper a little.
human
I don't see how it could, declared Tom.
gpt
It couldn't possibly have gone over two hundred feet with the gage set for that distance.