CHAPTER XXIV -Tom Swift and His Electric Locomotive

In Chapter XXIV of “Tom Swift and His Electric Locomotive,” titled “Putting the Enemy to Flight,” a dramatic confrontation unfolds. As a freight train approaches a critical switch, the danger is initially unnoticed by its engineer due to the deceitful setup orchestrated by Montagne Lewis and his gang, aiming to destroy Tom Swift’s electric locomotive, Hercules 0001, which is safely on a siding. The peril becomes apparent when Tom, having observed the situation from a higher vantage point, rushes to intervene, shouting warnings.

The appearance of Tom Swift, followed closely by his giant companion Koku, carrying the limp form of a saboteur, strikes fear into Lewis’s hired miscreants. They retreat into the woods, abandoning Lewis to face the consequences alone. Amidst ammonia-induced confusion and threats, Tom manages to avert disaster by swiftly adjusting the switch, allowing the freight train to pass safely—actions observed with gratitude by the freight train’s engineer.

Facing the aftermath, Tom confronts Montagne Lewis, promising exposure and justice for his crimes. Koku detains Lewis, who is rendered powerless, and he, along with his chief accomplice O’Malley, becomes restrained inside the electric locomotive. Subsequent efforts by Tom and his team ensure the locomotive’s operational integrity, despite prior damages.

As the chapter concludes, the narrative reflects on the broader implications of the event: the foiling of Lewis’s sabotage presents a significant victory for Tom Swift and his electric locomotive, which triumphs both technologically and morally against its adversaries. The chapter captures themes of ingenuity, bravery, and righteousness prevailing against corruption and malevolence, set within the exhilarating context of early 20th-century railway innovation.