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diff --git a/old/1363.txt b/old/1363.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..491cadf --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1363.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6105 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Tom Swift among the Fire Fighters, by Victor Appleton + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Tom Swift among the Fire Fighters + or, Battling with Flames from the Air + +Author: Victor Appleton + +Posting Date: July 17, 2008 [EBook #1363] +Release Date: June, 1998 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS *** + + + + +Produced by Anthony Matonac + + + + + + + + +TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS + +or + +Battling with Flames from the Air + + +By + +VICTOR APPLETON + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER + + I A BAD PLACE FOR A FIRE + II NO USE OF LIVING! + III TOM'S NEW IDEA + IV AN EXPERIMENT + V THE EXPLOSION + VI TOM IS WORRIED + VII A FORCED LANDING + VIII STRANGE TALK + IX SUSPICIONS + X ANOTHER ATTEMPT + XI THE BLAZING TREE + XII TOM IS LONESOME + XIII A SUCCESSFUL TEST + XIV OUT OF THE CLOUDS + XV COALS OF FIRE + XVI VIOLENT THREATS + XVII A TOWN BLAZE + XVIII FINISHING TOUCHES + XIX ON THE TRAIL + XX A HEAVY LOAD + XXI THE LIGHT IN THE SKY + XXII TRAPPED + XXIII TO THE RESCUE + XXIV A STRANGE DISCOVERY + XXV THE LIGHT OF DAY + + + + +TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS + + +CHAPTER I + +A BAD PLACE FOR A FIRE + + +"Impossible, Ned! It can't be as much as that!" + +"Well, you can prove the additions yourself, Tom, on one of the adding +machines. I've been over 'em twice, and get the same result each time. +There are the figures. They say figures don't lie, though it doesn't +follow that the opposite is true, for those who do not stick closely to +the truth do, sometimes, figure. But there you have it; your financial +statement for the year," and Ned Newton, business manager for Tom +Swift, the talented young inventor, shoved a mass of papers across the +table to his friend and chum, as well as employer. + +"It doesn't seem possible, Ned, that we have made as much as that this +past year. And this, as I understand it, doesn't include what was taken +from the wreck of the Pandora?" + +Tom Swift looked questioningly at Ned Newton, who shook his head in +answer. + +"You really didn't get anything to speak of out of your undersea +search, Tom," replied the young financial manager, "so I didn't include +it. But there's enough without that." + +"I should say so!" exclaimed Tom. "Whew!" he whistled, "I didn't think +I was worth that much." + +"Well, you've earned it, every cent, with the inventions of yourself +and your father." + +"And I might add that we wouldn't have half we earn if it wasn't for +the shrewd way you look after us, Ned," said Tom, with a warm smile at +his friend. "I appreciate the way you manage our affairs; for, though I +have had some pretty good luck with my searchlight, wizard camera, war +tank and other contraptions, I never would have been able to save any +of the money they brought in if it hadn't been for you." + +"Well, that's what I'm here for," remarked Ned modestly. + +"I appreciate that," began Tom Swift. "And I want to say, Ned--" + +But Tom did not say what he had started to. He broke off suddenly, and +seemed to be listening to some sound outside the room of his home where +he and his financial and business manager were going over the year's +statement and accounting. + +Ned, too, in spite of the fact that he had been busy going over +figures, adding up long columns, checking statements, and giving the +results to Tom, had been aware, in the last five minutes, of an +ever-growing tumult in the street. At first it had been no more than +the passage along the thoroughfare of an unusual number of pedestrians. +Ned had accounted for it at first by the theory that some moving +picture theater had finished the first performance and the people were +hurrying home. + +But after he had finished his financial labors and had handed Tom the +first of a series of statements to look over, the young financial +expert began to realize that there was no moving picture house near +Tom's home. Consequently the passing throngs could not be accounted for +in that way. + +Yet the tumult of feet grew in the highway outside. Ned had begun to +wonder if there had been an attempted burglary, a fight, or something +like that, calling for police action, which had gathered an unusual +throng that warm, spring evening. + +And then had come Tom's interruption of himself when he broke off in +the middle of a sentence to listen intently. + +"What is it?" asked Ned. + +"I thought I heard Rad or Koku moving around out there," murmured Tom. +"It may be that my father is not feeling well and wants to speak to me +or that some one may have telephoned. I told them not to disturb me +while you and I were going over the accounts. But if it is something of +importance--" + +Again Tom paused, for distinctly now in addition to the ever-increasing +sounds in the streets could be heard a shuffling and talking in the +hall just outside the door. + +"G'wan 'way from heah now!" cried the voice of a colored man. + +"It is Rad!" exclaimed Tom, meaning thereby Eradicate Sampson, an aged +but faithful colored servant. And then the voice of Rad, as he was most +often called, went on with: + +"G'wan 'way! I'll tell Massa Tom!" + +"Me tell! Big thing! Best for big man tell!" broke in another voice; a +deep, booming voice that could only proceed from a powerfully built man. + +"Koku!" exclaimed Tom, with a half comical look at Ned. "He and Rad are +at it again!" + +Koku was a giant, literally, and he had attached himself to Tom when +the latter had made one of many perilous trips. So eager were Eradicate +and Koku to serve the young inventor that frequently there were more or +less good-natured clashes between them to see who would have the honor. + +The discussion and scuffle in the hall at length grew so insistent that +Tom, fearing the aged colored man might accidentally be hurt by the +giant Koku, opened the door. There stood the two, each endeavoring to +push away the other that the victor might, it appeared, knock on the +door. Of course Rad was no match for Koku, but the giant, mindful of +his great strength, was not using all of it. + +"Here! what does this mean?" cried Tom, rather more sternly than he +really meant. He had to pretend to be stern at times with his old +colored helper and the impulsive and powerful giant. "What are you +cutting up for outside my door when I told you I must be quiet with Mr. +Newton?" + +"No can be quiet!" declared the giant. "Too much noise in street--big +crowds--much big!" + +He spoke an English of his own, did Koku. + +"What are the crowds doing?" asked Ned. "I thought we'd been hearing an +ever increasing tumult, Tom," he said to the young inventor. + +"Big crowds--'um go to see big--" + +"Heah! Let me tell Massa Tom!" pleaded Rad. Poor Rad! He was getting +old and could not perform the services that once he had so readily and +efficiently done. Now he was eager to help Tom in such small measure as +carrying him a message. So it was with a feeling of sadness that Tom +heard the old man say again, pleadingly: + +"Let me tell him, Koku! I know all 'bout it! Let me tell Massa Tom whut +it am, an'--" + +"Well, go ahead and tell me!" burst out Tom, with a good-natured laugh. +"Don't keep me in suspense. If there's anything going on--" + +He did not finish the sentence. It was evident that something of moment +was going on, for the crowds in the street were now running instead of +walking, and voices could be heard calling back and forth such +exclamations as: + +"Where is it?" + +"Must be a big one." + +"And with this wind it'll be worse!" + +Tom glanced at Ned and then at the two servants. + +"Has anything happened?" asked the young inventor. + +"Dey's a big fire, Massa Tom!" exploded Rad. + +"Heap big blaze!" added Koku. + +At the same time, out in the street high and clear, the cry rang out: + +"Fire! Fire!" + +"Is it any of our buildings?" exclaimed Tom, in his excitement catching +hold of the giant's arm. + +"No, it's quite a way off, on de odder side of town," answered the +colored man. "But we t'ought we'd better come an' tell yo', an'--" + +"Yes! Yes! I'm glad you did, Rad. It was perfectly right for you to +tell me! I wish you'd done it sooner, though! Come on, Ned! Let's go to +the blaze! We can finish looking over the figures another time. Is my +father all right, Rad?" + +"Yes, suh, Massa Tom, he's done sleepin' good." + +"Then don't disturb him. Mr. Newton and I will go to the fire. I'm +glad it isn't here," and Tom looked from a side window out on many +shops that were not a great distance from the house; shops where he and +his father had perfected many inventions. + +The buildings had grown up around the old Swift homestead, which, now +that so much industry surrounded it, was not the most pleasant place to +live in. Tom and his father only made this their stopping place in +winter. In the summer they dwelt in a quiet cottage far removed from +the scenes of their industry. + +"We'll take the electric runabout, Ned," remarked Tom, as he caught up +a hat from the rack, an example followed by his friend. Together the +young inventor and the financial manager hurried out to the garage, +where Tom soon had in operation a small electric automobile, that, more +than once, had proved its claim to being the "speediest car on the +road." + +As they turned out of the driveway into the street they became aware of +great crowds making their way toward a glow of sinister red light +showing in the eastern sky. + +"Some blaze!" exclaimed Tom, as he turned on more power. + +"You said it!" ejaculated Ned. "Must be a general alarm," he added, as +they caught the sound from the next street of additional apparatus +hurrying to the fire. + +"Well, I'm glad it isn't on our side of town," remarked Tom, as he +looked back at the peaceful gloom surrounding and covering his own home +and work buildings. + +"Where do you reckon it is?" asked Ned, as they sped onward. + +"Hard to say," remarked the young inventor, as he steered to one side +to pass a powerful imported automobile which, however, did not have the +speed of the electric runabout. "A fire at night is always deceiving as +to direction. But we can locate it when we get to the top of the hill." + +Shopton, the suburb of the town where Tom lived, was named so because +of the many shops that had been erected by the industry of the young +inventor and his father. In fact the town was named Shopton though of +late there had been an effort to change the name of the strictly +residential section, which lay over the hill toward the river. + +Tom's car shot up the slope with scarcely any slackening of speed, and, +as he passed a group of men and boys running onward, Tom shouted: + +"Where is it?" + +"The fireworks factory!" was the answer. + +"Fireworks factory!" cried Ned. "Bad place for a fire!" + +"I should say so!" exclaimed Tom. + +The chums had become gradually aware of the gale that was blowing, and, +as they reached the summit of the hill and caught sight of the burning +factory, they saw the flames being swept far out from it and toward a +collection of houses on the other side of a vacant lot that separated +the fireworks industrial plant from the dwellings. As Tom Swift +glimpsed the fire, noted its proportions and the fierceness of the +flames, and saw which way the wind was blowing them, he turned on the +power to the utmost. + +"What are you doing, Tom?" yelled Ned. + +"I'm going down there!" cried Tom. "That place is likely to explode any +minute!" + +"Then why go closer?" gasped Ned, for his breath was almost taken away +by the speed of the car, and he had to hold his hat to keep it from +blowing away. "Why don't you play safe?" + +"Don't you understand?" shouted Tom in his chum's ear. "The wind is +blowing the fire right toward those houses! Mary Nestor lives in one of +them!" + +"Oh--Mary Nestor!" exclaimed Ned. Then he understood--Mary and Tom were +engaged to be married. + +"They may be all right," Tom went on. "I can't be sure from this +distance. Or they may be in danger. It's a bad fire and--" + +His voice was blotted out in the roar of an explosion which seemed to +hurl back the electric runabout and bring it to a momentary stop. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +NO USE OF LIVING! + + +Only momentarily was Tom Swift halted in his progress toward the scene +of the blaze in the fireworks factory. To him, and to the chum who sat +beside him on the seat of the electric runabout, it appeared that the +blast had actually stopped the progress of the car. But perhaps that +was more their imagination than anything else, for the machine swept on +down the hill, at the foot of which was the conflagration. + +"That was a bad one, Ned!" gasped Tom, as he turned to one side to pass +an engine on its way to the scene of excitement. + +"I should say so! Must have been somebody hurt in that blow-up!" + +"I only hope it wasn't Mary or her folks!" murmured Tom. "The wind is +sweeping the fire right that way!" + +"What are you going to do, Tom?" yelled his chum, as the business +manager saw the young inventor heading directly for the blaze. "What's +the idea?" + +"To rescue Mary, if she's in danger!" + +"I'm with you!" was Ned's quick response. "But you can't go any closer. +The police are stretching the fire lines!" + +"I guess they'll let me through!" said Tom grimly. + +He slowed his car as he approached a place where an officer was driving +back the throng that sought to come closer to the blaze. + +"Git back! Git back, I tell you!" stormed the policeman, pushing +against the packed bodies of men and boys. "There'll be another blow-up +in a minute or two, and a lot more of you killed!" + +"Are there any killed?" asked Tom, stopping the car near the officer. + +"I guess so--yes. And some of the houses are catching. Git back now! +You, too, with that car! You'll have to back up!" + +"I've got to go through!" replied Tom, with tightening lips. "I've got +to go through, Cassidy!" He knew the officer, and the latter now +seemed, for the first time, to recognize the young inventor. + +"Oh, it's you, is it, Mr. Swift?" he exclaimed. "Well, go ahead. But be +careful. 'Tis dangerous there--very dangerous, an'--" + +His voice was lost in the roar of another explosion, not as loud or +severe as the first, but more plainly felt by Tom and Ned, for they +were nearer to it. + +"Now will you git back!" cried Policeman Cassidy, and the crowd did, +without further urging. + +Tom started the runabout forward again. + +"We've got to rescue Mary!" he said to Ned, who nodded. + +In another moment the two young men were lost to sight in a swirl of +smoke that swept across the street. And while they are thus temporarily +hidden may not this opportunity be taken of telling new readers +something of the hero of this story? + +The young inventor was introduced in the first volume of this series, +called "Tom Swift and his Motor Cycle." It was Tom's first venture into +the realms of invention, after he had purchased from Mr. Wakefield +Damon a speedy machine that tried to climb a tree with that excitable +gentleman. + +Tom, with the help of his father, an inventor of note, rebuilt the +motor cycle adding many improvements, and it served Tom in good stead +more than once. + +From then on the career of Tom Swift was steadily onward and upward. +One new invention led to another from his second venture, a motor boat, +through an airship and other marvels, and eventually to a submarine. In +each of these vehicles of motion and travel Tom and his friends, Ned +Newton and Mr. Damon, had many adventures, detailed in the respective +volumes. + +His venture in proceeding to save Mary Nestor from possible danger in +the blaze of the fireworks factory was not the first time Tom had +rendered service to the Nestor family. There was that occasion on which +he had sent his wireless message from Earthquake Island, as related in +an earlier volume. + +Space forbids the detailing of all that had happened to the young +inventor up to the time of the opening of this story. Sufficient to +say that Tom's latest achievement had been the recovery of treasure +from the depths of the ocean. + +Tom Swift's activities in connection with his inventions had become so +numerous that the Swift Construction Company, of which Ned Newton was +financial manager and Mr. Damon one of the directors, had been formed. +And when the rumor came that there was a chance to salvage some of the +untold wealth at the bottom of the sea, Tom was interested, as were his +friends. + +It was decided to search for the wreck of the Pandora, sunk in the West +Indies, and one of Tom's latest submarine craft was utilized for this +purpose. + +Not to go into all the details, which are given in the last volume of +this series, entitled "Tom Swift and His Undersea Search," suffice it +to say that the venture was begun. Matters were complicated owing to +the fact that Mary Nestor's uncle, Barton Keith, was in trouble over +the loss of valuable papers proving his title to some oil lands. Mary +mentioned that a person, Dixwell Hardley, was the man who, it was +supposed, was trying to defraud her relative. And the complications may +be imagined when it is said that this same Hardley was the man who had +interested Tom in the undersea search for the riches of the Pandora. + +Tom had been at home some time now, and it was while going over his +accounts with Ned, and, incidentally, planning new activities, that the +cry of fire broke in on them. + +"Whew, Tom, some heat there!" gasped Ned, lowering his arm from his +face, an action which had been necessitated by Tom's daring in driving +the car close to the blazing fireworks factory. + +"I should say so!" agreed Tom. "I can almost smell the rubber of my +tires burning. But we're out of the worst of it." + +"Lucky she didn't take the notion to blow up as we were passing," +grimly commented Ned. "Where are you aiming for now?" + +"Mary's house. It's just beyond here. But we can't see it on account of +the smoke." + +A few seconds later they had passed through the black pall that was +slashed here and there with red slivers of flame, and, coming to a more +open space, Ned and Tom cleared their eyes of smoke. + +"I guess there's no immediate danger," remarked Tom, as he saw that the +home of Mary Nestor and the houses near her residence were, for the +time being, out of the path of the flames. The explosion had blown down +part of the blazing factory nearest the residential section, and the +flames had less to feed on. + +But the conflagration was still a fierce one. Not half the big factory +was yet consumed, and every now and then there would sound dull, +booming reports, causing nervous screams from the women who were out in +front of their homes, while the men would crouch down as though fearing +a shower of fiery embers. + +"Oh, Tom, I'm so glad you're here!" cried Mary, as the runabout drew up +in front of her home. "Do you think it will be much worse?" and she +clutched his arm, as he got down to speak to her. + +"I think the worst is over, as far as you people here are concerned," +the young inventor replied. "The wind has shifted a bit." + +"And there are several engines near us, Tom," said Mr. Nestor, coming +forward. "The firemen tell me they will play streams of water on the +roofs and outsides of our houses if the flames start this way again." + +"That ought to do the trick," said Tom, with a show of confidence. +"Anybody hurt around here?" he asked. "One of the policeman said he +heard several were killed." + +"They may have been--in the factory," said Mr. Nestor. "Of course if +the fire and explosions had taken place in the daytime the loss of life +would have been great. But most of the workers had left some time +before the blaze was discovered. There are a few men on a night shift, +though, and I shouldn't be surprised but what some of them had +suffered." + +"Too bad!" murmured the young inventor. "You're not worried about your +home, are you, Mrs. Nestor?" he asked of Mary's mother. + +"Oh, Tom, I certainly am!" she exclaimed. "I wanted to bring out our +things, but Mr. Nestor said it wouldn't be of any use." + +"Neither it would, if we've got to burn, but I don't believe we +have--now," said her husband. "That last explosion and the shift of the +wind saved us. I appreciate your coming over, Tom," he went on. "We +might have needed your help. It's queer there isn't some better, or +more effective, way of fighting a fire than just pouring on a +comparatively insignificant bit of water," he added, as, from what was +now a safe distance, they watched the firemen using many lines of hose. + +"They do have chemical extinguishers," said Ned. + +"Yes, for little baby blazes that have just started," went on Mr. +Nestor. "But in all the progress of science there has not been much +advance in fighting fires. We still do as they did a hundred years +ago--squirt water on it, and mighty little of it compared to the blaze. +It would take a week to put this fire out by the water they are using +if it were not for the fact that the blaze eats itself up and has +nothing more to feed on." + +"We'll have to get Tom to invent a new way of fighting fire," remarked +Ned. + +The young inventor was about to reply when several firemen, equipped +with smoke helmets which they adjusted as they ran, came running down +the street. + +"What's the matter?" asked Tom of one whom he knew. + +"Some men are trapped in a small shed back of the factory," was the +answer. "We just heard of it, and we're going in after them. Oh! +Oh--my--my heart!" he gasped, and he sank to the sidewalk. Evidently +he was either overcome by the smoke and poisonous gases or by his +exertions. + +Tom grasped the situation instantly. Taking the smoke helmet from the +exhausted fire-fighter, the young inventor shouted: + +"I'll fill your place! See if you can grab a hat, Ned, and come on!" + +One of the other firemen had two helmets, and he offered Ned one. +Pausing only long enough to see that Mr. Nestor and some others were +looking after the exhausted "smoke-eater," Ned raced on after Tom. The +two young men, following the firemen, made their way around the end of +the factory to the smoke-filled yard in the rear. But for the helmets, +which were like the gas masks of the Great War, they would not have +been able to live. + +One of the firemen pointed through the luridly-lighted smoke to a small +structure near the main building. This was beginning to burn. With +quick blows of an axe the door was hewed down, and the rescue party, +including Tom and Ned, made its way inside. In the light from the +blaze, as it filtered through the windows, it could be seen that a man +lay in a huddled heap on the floor. + +By motions the leader of the rescue squad made it clear that the man +was to be carried out, and Tom helped with this while Ned, using an +axe, cleared away some debris to enable the door to be opened fully so +the men could pass out carrying their burden. + +The man was taken to the Nestor yard and stretched out on the grass. +Word was relayed to one of the ambulance doctors who were on the scene +attending to several injured firemen, and in a short time the man, who, +it appeared, had been overcome by smoke, was revived. + +"Well, that was a narrow squeak for you," said one of the firemen, glad +to breathe without a mask on. + +"Yes, it was touch and go," remarked the young doctor, who had used +heroic measures to bring the man back from the brink of the grave. "But +you'll live now, all right." + +The revived man looked dully about him. He seemed somewhat bewildered. + +"Of what use to live?" he murmured. "You might as well have let me die +in there. Life isn't worth living now," and he sank into a stupor, +while Tom and the others looked wonderingly at one another. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +TOM'S NEW IDEA + + +"What's the matter with him, Doctor?" asked Tom in a low voice of the +young physician who had been working over the man. "Do you think he is +worse hurt than appears? Is he dying, and is his mind wandering?" + +"I don't believe so," answered the doctor. "At least I don't believe +that he is dying, though his mind may be wandering. He isn't +injured--at least not outwardly. Just temporarily overcome by smoke is +what it looks like to me. But of course I haven't made a thorough +examination." + +"Hadn't we better get him into the house, Doctor?" asked Mr. Nestor, +who stood with Tom, Ned and a group of men and boys about the inert +form of the man lying on the grass. The rescued one was again seemingly +unconscious. + +"The best medicine he can have is fresh air," the doctor replied. "He's +better off out here than in the house. Though if he doesn't revive +presently I will send him to the hospital." + +The man did not appear to be so badly off but what he could hear, and +at these words he opened his eyes again. + +"I don't want to go to the hospital," he murmured. "I'll be all right +presently, and can go home, though--Oh, well, what's the use?" he asked +wearily, as though he had given up some fight. "I've lost everything." + +"Well, you've got a deal of life left in you yet; and that's more than +you could say of some who have come out of smaller fires than this," +said one of the firemen who, with Tom, had carried the man out of the +shed. "Come on, we'd better be getting back," he said to his companion. +"The worst of it is over, but there'll be plenty to do yet." + +"You said it!" commented the other grimly. + +They went out of the Nestor yard, many of the crowd that had gathered +during the rescue following. The doctor administered some more +stimulant in the shape of aromatic spirits of ammonia to the man, who, +after his momentary revival, had again lapsed into a state of stupor. + +"Who is he?" asked Tom, as the physician knelt down beside the silent +form. + +"I don't know," said Mr. Nestor. "I know quite a number connected with +the fireworks factory, but this man is a stranger to me." + +"I've seen him going into the main offices several times," remarked +Mary, who was standing beside Tom. "He seemed to be one of the company +officers." + +"I don't believe so, Mary," stated her father. "I know most of the +fireworks company officials, and I'm sure this man is not one of them. +Poor fellow! He seems to be in a bad way." + +"Mentally, as well as physically," put in Ned. "He acted as if sorry +that we had saved his life." + +"Too bad," murmured Mary, and then a policeman, who had just come into +the yard to get the facts for his report, looked at the figure lying on +the grass, and said: + +"I know him." + +"You do?" cried Tom. "Who is he?" + +"Name's Baxter, Josephus Baxter. He's a chemist, and he works in the +fireworks factory here. Not as one of the hands, but in the experiment +laboratory. I've seen him there late at night lots of times. That's how +I got acquainted with him. He was going in around two o'clock one +morning, and I stopped him, thinking he was a thief. He proved his +identity, and I've passed the time of day with him many a time since." + +"Where does he live?" asked Mr. Nestor. + +"Down on Clay Street," and the officer mentioned the number. "He lives +all alone, so he told me. He's some sort of an inventor, I guess. At +least I judged so by his talk. Do you want an ambulance, Doctor?" he +asked the physician. + +"No, I think he's coming around all right," was the answer. "If we had +an auto we could send him home." + +"I'll take him in the runabout," eagerly offered Tom. "But if he lives +all alone will it be safe to leave him in his house?" + +"He ought to be looked after, I suppose," the doctor stated. "He'll be +all right in a day or so if no complications set in, but he'll be weak +for a while and need attention." + +"Then I'll take him home with me!" announced Tom. "We have plenty of +room, and Mrs. Baggert will feel right at home with some one to nurse. +Bring the runabout here, will you please, Ned?" + +As Ned darted off to run up the machine, the man opened his eyes again. +For a moment he did not seem to know where he was or what had happened. +Then, as he saw the lurid light of the flames which were now dying away +and realized his position, he sighed heavily and murmured: + +"It's all over!" + +"Oh, no, it isn't!" cheerfully exclaimed the doctor. "You will be all +right in a few days." + +"Myself, yes, maybe," said the man bitterly, and he managed to rise to +his feet. "But what of my future? It is all gone! The work of years is +lost." + +"Burned in the fire?" asked Tom, wondering whether the man was a major +stockholder in the company. "Didn't you have any insurance? Though I +suppose you couldn't get much on a fireworks plant," he added, for he +knew something of insurance matters in connection with his own business. + +"Oh, it isn't the fire--that is directly," said the man, in the same +bitter tones. "I've lost everything! The scoundrels stole them! And +I--Oh, never mind!" he cried. "What's the use of talking? I'm down and +out! I might just as well have died in the fire!" + +Tom was about to make some remark, but the doctor motioned to him to +refrain, and then Ned came up with the runabout. At first Josephus +Baxter, which was the name of the man who had been rescued, made some +objections to going to Tom's home. But when it was pointed out that he +might lapse into a stupor again from the effects of the smoke poisons, +in which event he would have no one to minister to him at his lonely +home, he consented to go to the residence of the young inventor. + +"Though if I do lapse into unconsciousness you might as well let me +keep on sleeping until the end," said Mr. Baxter bitterly to Tom and +Ned, as they drove away from the scene of the fire with him. + +"Oh, you'll feel better in the morning," cheerfully declared Ned. + +The man did not answer, and the two chums did not feel much like +talking, for they were worn out and weary from their exertions at the +fire. The factory had been pretty well consumed, though by strenuous +labors the blaze had not extended to adjoining structures. The home of +Mary Nestor was saved, and for this Tom Swift was thankful. + +Mrs. Baggert, the Swift's housekeeper, was indeed glad to have some one +to "fuss over," as Tom put it. She prepared a bed for Mr. Baxter, and +in this the weary and ill man sank with a sigh of relief. + +"Can I do anything for you?" asked Tom, as he was about to go out and +close the door. + +"No--thank you," was the halting reply. "I guess nothing can be done. +Field and Melling have me where they want me now--down and out." + +"Do you mean Amos Field and Jason Melling of the fireworks firm?" asked +Tom, for the names were familiar to him in a business way. + +"Yes, the--the scoundrels!" exclaimed Mr. Baxter, and from his voice +Tom judged that he was growing stronger. "They pretended to be my +friends, giving me a shop in which to work and experiment, and when the +time came they took my secret formulae. I believe that is what they +started the fire for--to conceal their crime!" + +"You don't mean that!" cried Tom. "Deliberately to start a fire in a +factory where there was powder and other explosives! That would be a +terrible crime!" + +"Field and Melling are capable of just such crimes as that!" said +Josephus Baxter, bitterly. "If they took my formulae they wouldn't stop +at arson." + +"Were your formulae for the manufacture of fireworks?" asked Tom. + +"Not altogether," was the reply. "I had several formulae for valuable +chemical combinations. They could be used in fireworks, and that is why +I could use the laboratory here. But the main use of my discoveries is +in the dye industry. I would have been a millionaire soon, with the +rise of the American dye industry following the shutting out of the +Germans after the war. But now, with my secret formulae gone, I am no +better than a beggar!" + +"Perhaps it will not be as bad as you think," said Tom, recognizing the +fact that Mr. Baxter was in a nervous and excited state. "Matters may +look brighter in the morning." + +"I don't see how they can," was the grim answer. "However, I appreciate +all that you have done for me. But I fear my case is hopeless." + +"I'll see you again in the morning," Tom said, trying to infuse some +cheerfulness into his voice. + +He found Ned waiting for him when he came downstairs. + +"How is he?" asked the young business manager. + +"In rather a bad way--mentally, at least," and Tom told of the lost +formulae. "Do you know, Ned," he went on, "I have an idea!" + +"You generally do have--lots of 'em!" Ned rejoined. + +"But this is a new one," went on Tom. "You saw what trouble they had +this evening to get a stream of water to the top stories of that +factory, didn't you?" + +"Yes, the pressure here isn't what it ought to be," Ned agreed. "And +some of our engines are old-timers." + +"Why is it necessary always to fight a fire with water?" Tom continued. +"There are plenty of chemicals that will put out a fire much quicker +than water." + +"Of course," Ned answered. "There are plenty of chemical fire +extinguishers on the market, too, Tom. If your idea is to invent a new +hand grenade, stay off it! A lot of money has been lost that way." + +"I wasn't thinking of a hand grenade," said Tom, as he drew some sheets +of paper across the table to him. "My idea is on a bigger scale. +There's no reason, Ned, why a big fire in a tall building, like a +sky-scraper, shouldn't be fought from above, as well as from below. Now +if I had the right sort of chemicals I could--" + +Tom paused in a listening attitude. There was the rush of feet and a +voice cried: + +"I'll get them! I'll get the scoundrels!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +AN EXPERIMENT + + +"That can't be Koku and Rad in one of their periodic squabbles, can +it?" asked Ned. + +"No. It's probably Mr. Baxter," Tom answered. "The doctor said he might +get violent once or twice, until the effects of his shock wore off. +There is some quieting medicine I can give him. I'll run up." + +"Guess I'd better go along," remarked Ned. "Sounds as if you'd need +help." + +And it did appear so, for again the frenzied shouts sounded: + +"I'll get 'em! I'll get the scoundrels who stole my secret formulae +that I worked over so many years! Come back now! Don't put the match +near the powder!" + +Tom and Ned hurried to the room where the unfortunate chemist had been +put to bed, to find him out in the hall, wrapped in a bedquilt, and +with Mrs. Baggert vainly trying to quiet him. Mr. Baxter stared at Tom +and Ned without seeing them, for he was in a delirium of fever. + +"Have you my formulae?" he asked. "I want them back!" + +"You shall have them in the morning," replied Tom soothingly. "Lie +down, and I'll bring them to you in the morning. And drink this," he +added, holding out a glass of soothing mixture which the doctor had +ordered in case the patient should become violent. + +Josephus Baxter glared about with wild eyes, but between them Tom and +Mrs. Baggert managed to get him to drink the mixture. + +"Bah! It's as bad as some of my chemicals!" spluttered the chemist, as +he handed back the glass. "You are sure you'll have my formulae in the +morning?" he asked, as he turned to go back to his room. + +"I'll do my best," declared Tom cheerfully. "Now please lie down." + +Which, after some urging, Mr. Baxter consented to do. Eradicate wanted +to lie down in the hall outside the excited chemist's door to guard +against his emerging again, but Tom decided on Koku. The giant, though +not as intelligent as the colored man, was more efficient in an +emergency because of his great strength. Eradicate was getting old, +and there was a pathetic droop to his figure as he shuffled off when +Koku superseded him. + +"Ah done guess Ah ain't wanted much mo'," muttered Rad sadly. + +"Oh, yes, you are!" cried Tom, as, the excitement over, he walked +downstairs with Ned. "I'm going to start something new, Rad, and I'll +need your help." + +"Will yo', really, Massa Tom?" exclaimed faithful Rad, his face +lighting up. "Dat's good! Is yo' goin' off after mo' diamonds, or up to +de caves of ice?" + +"Not quite that," answered the young inventor, recalling the stirring +experiences that had fallen to him when on those voyages. "I'm going to +work around home, Rad, and I'll need your help." + +"Anyt'ing yo' wants, Massa Tom! Anyt'ing yo' wants!" offered the now +delighted Rad, and he went to bed much happier. + +"Well, to resume where we left off," began Ned, when he and Tom were +once more by themselves, "what's the game?" + +"Oh, I don't know that it's much of a game," was the answer. "But I +just have an idea that a big fire in a towering building can be fought +from above with chemicals, as well as from the ground with streams of +water. + +"Well, I guess it could be," Ned agreed. "But how are you going to get +your chemicals in at the top? Shoot 'em up through a hose? If you do +that you'll need a special kind of hose, for the chemicals will rot +anything like rubber or canvas." + +"I wasn't thinking of a hose," returned Tom. "What then?" asked the +young financial manager. + +"An airship!" Tom exclaimed with such sudden energy that Ned started. +"It just came to me!" explained the youthful inventor. "I was +wondering how we could get the chemicals in from the top, and an +airship is the solution. I can sail over the burning building and drop +the chemicals down. That will douse the blaze if my plans go right." + +Ned was silent a moment, considering Tom's daring plan and project. +Then, as it became clearer, the young banker cried: + +"Blamed if I don't think that's just the thing, Tom! It ought to work, +and, if it does, it will save a lot of lives, to say nothing of +property! A fire in a sky-scraper ought to be fought from above. Then +the extinguisher element, whether chemicals or water, could be dropped +where they'd do the most good. As it is now, with water, a lot of it is +wasted. Some of it never reaches the heart of the fire, being splashed +on the outside of the building. A lot more turns to steam before it +hits the flames, and only a small percentage is really effective." + +"That's my notion," Tom said. + +"Then go ahead and do it!" urged his friend. "You have my permission!" + +"Thanks," commented Tom dryly. "But there are several things to be +worked out before we can start. I've got to devise some scheme for +carrying a sufficient quantity of chemicals, and invent some way of +releasing them from an airship over the blaze. But that last part ought +to be easy, for I think I can alter my warfare bomb-dropping attachment +to serve the purpose. + +"What I really need, however, is some new chemical combination that +will quickly put a really big blaze out of business. There are any +number of these chemicals, but most of them depend on the production of +carbon dioxide. This is the product of some solution of a carbonate and +sulphuric acid, and I suppose, eventually, I'll work out something on +that order. But I hope I may get something better." + +"You haven't delved much into chemistry, have you?" + +"No. And I wish now that I had. I see my limitations and realize my +weakness. But I can brush up a little on my chemistry. As for the +mechanical part, that of dropping the extinguisher on the blaze, I'm +not worrying over that end." + +"No," agreed Ned. "You have enough types of airships to be able to +select just the best one for the purpose. But, say, Tom!" he suddenly +cried, "why not ask him to help you?" + +"Who?" + +"Mr. Baxter. He's a chemist. And though he says his formulae are about +dyes and fireworks, maybe he can put you in the way of inventing a +chemical solution that will be death to fires." + +"He might," Tom agreed. "But I think he'll be out of business for some +time. This shock--being overcome by smoke and his secret formulae +having been stolen--seem to have affected his mind. I don't know that I +could depend on him." + +"It's worth trying," declared Ned. "What do you suppose he means, Tom, +saying that Field and Melling stole his formulae?" + +"Haven't the least idea. I only know those fireworks firm members +slightly, if at all. I'm not sure I'd recognize them if I met them. But +they are reputed to be wealthy, and I hardly think they would stoop to +stealing some inventor's formulae. + +"We inventors are a suspicious lot, Ned, as you probably have found +out," he added with a smile. "We imagine the rest of the world is out +to cheat us, and I presume Josephus Baxter is no exception. Still, +there may be some truth in his story. I'll give him all the help I can. +But I'm going into the aerial fire-fighting game. I've been waiting for +something new, and this may be it." + +"You may count on me!" declared Ned. "And now, unless you're going to +sit up all night and start studying chemistry, you'd better come to +bed." + +"That's right. Tomorrow is another day. I hope Mr. Baxter gets some +rest. Sleep will improve him a lot, the doctor said." + +"I know one friend of yours who will be glad to know that you are going +to start something," remarked Ned, as he and Tom started for their +rooms, for the young manager was staying with his friend for the night. + +"Who?" Tom wanted to know. + +"Mr. Wakefield Damon," was the answer. "He hasn't been over lately, +Tom." + +"No, he's been off on a little trip, blessing everything from his +baggage check to his suspender buttons," laughed the young inventor, as +he recalled his eccentric acquaintance. "I shall be glad to see him +again." + +"He'll be right over as soon as he learns what's in the wind," +predicted Ned. + +The hopes that Mr. Baxter would be greatly improved in the morning were +doomed to disappointment. He was in no actual danger, the doctor said, +but his recovery from the effects of the smoke he had breathed was not +as rapid as desired or hoped for. + +"He's suffering from some shock," said the physician, "and his mental +condition is against him. He ought to be kept quiet, and if you can't +have him here, Mr. Swift, I can arrange to have him sent to a hospital." + +"I wouldn't dream of it!" Tom exclaimed. "Let him stay here by all +means. We have plenty of room, and Mrs. Baggert has been wishing for +some one to nurse. Now she has him." + +So it was arranged that the chemist should remain at the Swift home, +and he gave a languid assent when they spoke to him of the matter. He +really was much more ill than seemed at first. + +But as everything possible had been done, Tom decided to go ahead with +the new idea that had come to him--that of inventing an aerial chemical +fire-fighting machine. + +"And if we get a chance, Ned, we'll try to get back those secret +formulae Mr. Baxter claims to have lost," Tom declared. "I have heard +some stories about that fireworks firm, which make me believe there may +be something in Baxter's story." + +"All right, Tom, I'm with you any time you need me," Ned promised. + +The young inventor lost little time in beginning his operations. As he +had said, the chief need was a fire extinguishing chemical solution or +powder. Tom resolved to try the solution first, as it was easier to +make. With this end in view he proceeded to delve into old and new +chemistry books. He also sought the advice of his father. + +And one day, when Ned called, Tom electrified his chum with the +exclamation: + +"Well, I'm going to give it a try!" + +"What?" + +"My aerial chemical fire-fighting apparatus. Of course I only have the +chemical yet. I haven't worked on the carrying apparatus nor decided +how I will attach it to an airship. But I'm going up now with some of +my new solution and drop it on a blaze from above." + +"Where are you going to get the fire?" asked Ned. "You can't have a +sky-scraper blaze made to order, you know." + +"No, but as this is only an experiment," Tom said, "a big bonfire will +answer the purpose. I'm having Koku and Rad make one now down in our +big meadow. As soon as it gets hot enough and fierce enough, I'll sail +over it in my small machine, drop the extinguisher on it, and see what +happens. Want to come?" + +"Sure thing!" cried Ned. "And I hope the experiment is a success!" + +"Thanks," murmured Tom. "I'm about ready to start. All I have to do is +to take this tank up with me," and he pointed to one containing his new +mixture. "Of course the arrangement for dumping it out of the aircraft +is very crude," Tom said. "But I can work on that later." + +Ned and he were busy putting the can of Tom's new chemical extinguisher +in the airship when the door of the hangar was suddenly opened and a +very much excited man entered crying: + +"Fire! Fire! Bless my kitchen sink, your meadow's on fire, Tom Swift! +It's blazing high! Fire! Fire!" + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE EXPLOSION + + +Tom and Ned were so startled by the entrance of the excited man with +his cry of "Fire!" that the young inventor nearly dropped the tank of +liquid extinguisher he was helping to hoist into the aeroplane. Then, +as he caught sight of his visitor, Tom exclaimed: + +"Hello, Mr. Damon! We were wondering whether you'd be along to witness +our first experiment." + +"Experiment, Tom Swift! Experiment! Bless my Latin grammar! but you'd +much better be calling out the fire department to play on that blaze +down in your meadow. What is it--your barns or one of your new shops?" + +"Neither one, Mr. Damon," laughed Ned. "It's only a blaze that Koku and +Rad started." + +"And the fire department is here," added Tom. + +"Where?" inquired the eccentric man. + +"Here," and Tom pointed to his airship--one of the smaller craft--into +which the tank of chemicals had been hoisted. + +"Oh!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Something new, eh, Tom?" His eyes glistened. + +"Yes. Fighting fires from the air. I got the idea after the fireworks +factory went up in smoke. Will you come along? There's plenty of room." + +"I believe I will," assented Mr. Damon. It was not the first time, by +any means, that he had gone aloft with Tom. "I happened to be coming +over in my auto," he went on to explain, "when I happened to see the +fire down in the meadow. I was afraid you didn't know about it." + +"Oh, yes," replied Tom. "I had Rad and Koku light a big pile of packing +boxes, to represent, as nearly as possible, on a small scale, a burning +building. I plan now to sail over it and drop the tins of chemicals. +They are arranged to burst as they fall into the blaze, and I hope the +carbon dioxide set loose will blanket out the fire." + +"Sounds interesting," commented Mr. Damon. "I'll go along." + +The airship was wheeled out of the hangar and was soon ready for the +flight. A big cloud of black vapor down in the meadow told Tom and Ned +that Koku and Eradicate had done their work well. The giant and the +colored man had poured oil over the wood to make a fierce blaze that +would give Tom's new chemical combination a severe test. + +A mechanic turned the propeller of the airship until there was an +accumulation of gas in the different cylinders. Then he stepped back +while Tom threw on the switch. This was not one of the self-starting +types, of which Tom possessed one or two. + +"Contact!" cried Tom sharply, and the man stepped forward to give the +big blades a final turn that would start the motor. There was a +muffled roar and then a steady staccato blending of explosions. Tom +raced the motor while his men held the machine in place, and then, +satisfied that all was well, the young inventor gave the word, and the +craft raced over the ground, to soar aloft a little later. + +Tom, Ned and Mr. Damon could look down to the meadow where the bonfire +was blazing. A crowd had collected, but the heat of the blaze kept them +at a good distance. Then, as many of the throng caught sight of the +airship overhead, there was a new interest for them. + +Tom had told Ned and Mr. Damon, before the trio had entered the +machine, what he wanted them to do. This was to toss the chemicals +overboard at the proper time. Of course in his perfected apparatus Tom +hoped to have a device by which he could drop the fire extinguishing +elements by a mere pressure of his finger or foot, as bombs were +released from aircraft during the war. But this would serve for the +time being. + +Nearer and nearer the blaze the airship approached until it was almost +above it. Tom had had some experience in bomb-dropping, and knew when +to give the signal. + +At last the signal came. Mr. Damon and Ned heaved over the side the +metal containers of the powerful chemicals. + +Down they went, unerring as an arrow, though on a slant, caused by the +impetus given them by the speed of the airship. + +Tom and his friends leaned over the side of the machine to watch the +effect. They could see the chemicals strike the blaze, and it was +evident from the manner in which the fire died down that the containers +had broken, as Tom intended they should to scatter their contents. + +"Hurray!" cried Ned, forgetting that he could not be heard, for no head +telephones were used on this occasion and the roar of the motor would +drown any human voice. "It's working, Tom!" + +Truly the effect of the chemicals was seemingly to cause the fire to go +out, but it was only a momentary dying down. Koku and Rad had made a +fierce, yet comparatively small, conflagration, and though for a time +the gas generated by Tom's mixture dampened the blaze, in a few +seconds--less than half a minute--the flames were shooting higher than +ever. + +Tom made a gesture of disappointment, and swung his craft around in a +sharp, banking turn. He had no more chemicals to drop, as he had +thought this supply would be sufficient. However, he had guessed badly. +The fire burned on, doing no damage, of course, for that had been +thought of when it was started in the meadow. + +"Something wrong!" declared the young inventor, when they were back at +the hangar, climbing out of the machine. + +"What was it?" asked Ned. + +"Didn't use the right kind of chemicals," Tom answered. "From the way +the flames shot up, you'd think I had poured oil on the blaze instead +of carbon dioxide." + +"Bless my insurance policy, Tom!" cried Mr. Damon, "but I'd hate to +trust to your apparatus if my house caught." + +"Don't blame you," Tom assented. "But I'll do the trick yet! This is +only a starter!" + +During the next two weeks the young inventor worked hard in his +laboratory, Mr. Swift sometimes helping him, but more often Koku and +Eradicate. Mr. Baxter had recovered sufficiently to leave the Swift +home. But though the chemist seemed well physically, his mind appeared +to be brooding over his loss. + +"If I could only get my secret formulae back!" he sighed, as he thanked +Tom for his kindness. "I'm sure Field and Melling have them. And I +believe they got them the night of the fireworks blaze; the scoundrels!" + +"Well, if I can help you, please let me," begged Tom. And then he +dismissed the matter from his mind in his anxiety to hit upon the right +chemical mixture for putting out fires from the air. + +One afternoon, at the end of a week in which he had been busily and +steadily engaged on this work, Tom finally moved away from his +laboratory table with a sigh of relief, and, turning to Eradicate, who +had been helping him, exclaimed: + +"Well, I think I have it now!" + +"Good lan' ob massy, I hopes so!" exclaimed the colored man. "It sho' +do smell bad enough, Massa Tom, to make any fire go an' run an' drown +hisse'f! Whew-up! It's turrible stuff!" + +"Yes, it isn't very pleasant," Tom agreed, with a smile. "Though I am +getting rather used to it. But when it's in a metal tube it won't +smell, and I think it will put out any fire that ever started. We'll +give it a test now, Rad. Just take that flask of red stuff and pour it +into this one of yellow. I'll go out and light the bonfire, and we'll +make a small test." + +Leaving Rad to mix some of the chemicals, a task the colored man had +often done before, Tom went out into the yard near his laboratory to +start a blaze on which his new mixture could be tested. + +He had not got far from the laboratory door when he felt a sudden jar +and a rush of air, and then followed the dull boom of an explosion. +Like an echo came the voice of Eradicate: + +"Oh, Massa Tom, I'se blowed up! It done sploded right in mah face!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +TOM IS WORRIED + + +Dropping what he had in his hands, Tom Swift raced back to the +laboratory where he had left Eradicate to mix the chemicals. Again the +despairing, frightened cry of the colored man rang out. + +"I hope nothing serious has happened," was the thought that flashed +through Tom's mind. "But I'm afraid it has. I should have mixed those +new chemicals myself." + +Koku, the giant, who was at work in another part of the shop yard, +heard Rad's cry and came running up. As there was always more or less +jealousy between Eradicate and Koku, the latter now thought he had a +chance to crow over his rival, not, of course, understanding what had +happened. + +"Ho! Ho!" laughed Koku. "You much better hab me work, Master Tom. I no +make blunderstakes like dat black fellow! I never no make him!" + +"I don't know whether Rad has made a mistake or not," murmured Tom. +"Come along, Koku, we may need your help. There has been an explosion." + +"Yep, dat Rad he don't as know any more as to blow up de whole place!" +chuckled Koku. + +He thought he would have a chance to make fun of Eradicate, but neither +he nor Tom realized how serious had been the happening. As the young +inventor reached the laboratory, which he had left but a few seconds +before, he saw the interior almost in ruins. All about were scattered +various pieces of apparatus, test tubes, alembics, retorts, flasks, and +an electric furnace. + +But what gave Tom more concern than anything else was the sight of +Eradicate lying in the midst of broken glass on the floor. The colored +man was moaning and held his hands over his face, and the young +inventor could see that the hands, which had labored so hard and +faithfully in his service, were cut and bleeding. + +"Rad! Rad! what has happened?" cried Tom quickly. + +"It sploded! It done sploded right in mah face!" moaned Eradicate. +"I--I can't see no mo', Massa Tom! I can't see to help yo' nevah no +mo'!" + +"Don't worry about that, Rad!" cried Tom, as cheerfully as possible +under the circumstances. "We'll soon have you fixed up! Come in here, +Koku, and help me carry Rad out!" + +Though the fumes from the chemicals that had exploded were choking, +causing both Tom and Koku to gasp for breath, they never hesitated. In +they rushed and picked up the limp figure of the helpless colored man. + +"Poor Rad!" murmured the giant Koku tenderly. "Him bad hurt! I carry +him, Master Tom! I take him bed, an' I go for doctor! I run like +painted pig!" + +Probably Koku meant "greased pig," but Tom never thought of that. All +his concern was for his faithful Eradicate. + +"Me carry him, Master Tom!" cried Koku, all the petty jealousy of his +rival passing away now. "Me take care ob Rad. Him no see, me see for +him. Anybody hurt Rad now, got to hurt Koku first!" + +It was a fine and generous spirit that the giant was showing, though +Tom had no time to speculate on it just then. + +"We must get him into the house, Koku," said the young inventor. "And +two of us can carry him better than one. After we get him to a bed you +can go for the doctor, though I fancy the telephone can run even +quicker than you can, Koku." + +"Whatever Master Tom say," returned the giant humbly, as he looked with +pity at the suffering form of his rival--a rival no longer. It seemed +that Rad's working days were over. + +Tenderly the aged colored man was laid on a lounge in the living room, +Mr. Swift and Mrs. Baggert hovering over him. + +"Where are you worst hurt, Rad?" asked Tom, with a view to getting a +line on which physician would be the best one to summon. + +"It's all in mah face, Massa Tom," moaned the colored man. "It's mah +eyes. Dat stuff done sploded right in 'em! I can't see--nevah no mo'!" + +"Oh, I guess it isn't as bad as that," said Tom. But when he had a +glimpse of the seared and wounded face of his faithful servant he could +not repress a shudder. + +A physician was summoned by telephone, and he arrived in his automobile +at the same time that Mr. Damon reached Tom's house. + +"Bless my bottle of arnica, Tom!" exclaimed the eccentric man, with +sympathy in his voice. "What's this I hear? One of your men tells me +old Eradicate is killed!" + +"Not as bad as that, yet," replied Tom, as he came out, leaving the +doctor to make his first examination. "It was an explosion of my new +aerial fire-fighting chemicals that I left Rad to mix for me. If +anything serious results to him from this I'll drop the whole business! +I'll never forgive myself!" + +"It wasn't your fault, Tom. Perhaps he did something wrong," said Mr. +Damon. + +"Yes, it was my fault. I should not have let him take the chance with a +mixture I had tried only a few times. But we'll hope for the best. How +is he, Doctor?" Tom asked a little later when the physician came out on +the porch. + +"He's doing as well as can be expected for the present," was the +answer. "I have given him a quieting mixture. His worst injury seems to +be to his face. His hands are cut by broken glass, but the hurts are +only superficial. I think we shall have to get an eye specialist to +look at him in a day or two." + +"You mean that he--that he may go blind?" gasped Tom. + +"Well, we'll not decide right away," replied the doctor, as cheerfully +as he could. "I should rather have the opinion of an oculist before +making that statement. It may be only temporary." + +"That's bad enough!" muttered Tom. "Poor old Rad!" + +"Me take care ob him," put in Koku, who had been humbly standing around +waiting to hear the news. "Me never be mad at dat black man no more! +Him my best friend! I lub him like I did my brudder!" + +"Thank you, Koku," said Tom, and his mind went back to the time when he +had escaped in his airship from the gigantic men, of whom Koku and his +brother were two specimens. The brother had gone with a circus, and +Koku, for several years, only saw him occasionally. + +Everything possible was done for Eradicate, and the doctor said that it +would be several days, until after the burns from the exploding +chemicals had partly healed, before the eye-doctor could make an +examination. + +"Then we can only wait and hope," said Tom. + +"And hope for the best!" advised Mr. Damon. + +"I'll try," promised Tom. He went back to the laboratory with his +eccentric friend and with Ned, who had come over as soon as he heard +the news. Not much of an examination could be made, as the place was in +such ruins. But it was surmised that in combining the two chemical +mixtures a new one had been created, or at least one that Tom had not +counted on. This had exploded, blowing Eradicate down, flaring a sheet +of flame up into his face, scattering broken glass about, and generally +creating havoc. + +"I can't understand it," said Tom. "I was trying to make a fire +extinguishing liquid, and it turned out to be a fire creator. I don't +see what was wrong." + +"One chemical might have been impure," suggested Ned. + +"Yes," agreed Tom. "I'll check them over and try to find out where the +mistake happened." + +"This place will have to be rebuilt," observed Ned. "It's in bad shape, +Tom." + +"I don't mind that in the least, if Rad doesn't lose his eyesight," was +the answer of the young inventor, and his friends could see that he was +much worried, as well he might be. + +In silence Tom Swift looked about the ruins of what had been a fine +chemical laboratory. + +"It will take a month to get this back in shape," he said ruefully. "I +guess I shall have to postpone my experiments." + +"Why not ask Mr. Baxter to help you?" suggested Ned. + +"What can he do?" Tom wanted to know. "He hasn't any laboratory." + +"He has a sort of one," Ned rejoined. "You know you told me to keep +track of him and give him any help I could." + +"Yes," Tom nodded. + +"Well, the other day he came to me and said he had a chance to set up a +small laboratory in a vacant shop near the river. He needed a little +capital and I lent it to him, as you told me to." + +"Glad you did," returned Tom. "But do you suppose his plant is large +enough to enable me to work there until mine is in shape again?" + +"It wouldn't do any harm to take a look," suggested Ned. + +"I'll do it!" decided Tom, more hopefully than he had spoken since the +accident. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A FORCED LANDING + + +Josephus Baxter seemed to have recovered some of his spirits after his +narrow escape from death in the fireworks factory blaze. He greeted Tom +and Ned with a smile as they entered the improvised laboratory he had +been able to set up in what had once been a factory for the making of +wooden ware, an industry that, for some reason, did not flourish in +Shopton. + +"I'm glad to see you, Mr. Swift," said the chemist, who seemed to have +aged several years in the few weeks that had intervened since the fire. +"I want to thank you for giving me a chance to start over again." + +"Oh, that's all right," said Tom easily. "We inventors ought to help +one another. Are you able to do anything here?" + +"As much as possible without my secret formulae," was the answer. "If I +only had those back from the rascals, Field and Melling, I would be +able to go ahead faster. As it is, I am working in the dark. For some +of the formulae were given to me by a Frenchman, and I had only one +copy. I kept that in the safe of the fireworks concern, and after the +fire it could not be found." + +"Was the safe destroyed?" asked Tom. + +"No. But the doors were open, and much of what had been inside was in +ashes and cinders. Amos Field claimed that the explosion had blown open +the safe and burned a lot of their valuable fireworks formulae too." + +"And you believe they have yours?" asked Ned. + +"I'm sure of it!" was the fierce answer. "Those men are unprincipled +rogues! They had been at me ever since I was foolish enough to tell +them about my formulae to get me to sell them a share. But I refused, +for I knew the secret mixtures would make my fortune when I could +establish a new dye industry. Field and Melling claimed they wanted the +formulae for their fireworks, but that was only an excuse. The formulae +were not nearly so valuable for pyrotechnics as for dyes. The fireworks +business is not so good, either, since so many cities have voted for a +'Sane Fourth of July.'" + +"I can appreciate that," said Tom. "But what we called for, Mr. Baxter, +is to find if you have room enough to let me do a little experimenting +here. I am working on a new kind of fire extinguisher, to be dropped on +tall buildings from an airship." + +"Sounds like a good idea," said the chemist, rather dreamily. + +"Well, I have the airship, and I can see my way clear to perfecting a +device to drop the chemicals in metal tanks or bombs," went on Tom. +"But what bothers me is the chemical mixture that will put out fires +better than the carbon dioxide mixtures now on the market." + +"I haven't given that much study myself," said Mr. Baxter. "But you are +welcome to anything I have, Mr. Swift. The whole place, such as it is, +will be at your disposal at any time. I intend to have it in better +shape soon, but I have to proceed slowly, as I lost nearly everything I +owned in that fire. If I could only get those formulae back!" he sighed. + +"Perhaps you may recall the combinations," suggested Ned. "Or can't you +get them from that Frenchman?" + +"He is dead," answered the chemist. "Everything seems to be against me!" + +"Well, it's always darkest just before daylight," said Tom. "So let us +hope for the best. We both have had a bit of bad luck. But when I think +of Rad, who may lose his eyesight, I can stand my losses smiling." + +"Yes," agreed Mr. Baxter, "you have big assets when you have your +health and eyesight." + +Three days later the eye specialist looked at Rad. Tom stood by +anxiously and waited for the verdict. The doctor motioned to the young +inventor to follow him out of the room, while Mrs. Baggert replaced the +bandages on the colored man's eyes and Koku stood near him, +sympathetically patting Rad on the back. + +"Well?" asked Tom nervously, as he faced the physician. + +"I am sorry, Mr. Swift, that I can not hold out much hope that your man +will ever regain his sight," was the answer. + +Tom could not repress a gasp of pity. + +"I do not say that the case is altogether hopeless," the doctor went +on; "but it would be wrong to encourage you to hope for much. I may be +able to save partly the sight of one eye." + +"Poor Rad!" murmured Tom. "This will break his heart." + +"There is no need for telling him at once," Dr. Henderson said. "It +will only make his recovery so much the slower. It will be weeks before +I am able to operate, and, meanwhile, he should be kept as comfortable +and cheerful as possible." + +"We'll see to that," declared Tom. "Is he otherwise injured?" + +"No, it is merely his eyesight that we have to fear for. And, as I +said, that is not altogether hopeless, though it would not be honest to +let you look for much success. I shall see him from time to time until +his eyes are ready to operate on." + +Tom and his friends were forced to take such comfort as they could from +this verdict, but no hint of their downcast feelings were made manifest +to Eradicate. + +"Whut de doctor man done say, Massa Tom?" asked Eradicate when the +young inventor went back into the sick room. + +"Oh, he talked a lot of big Latin words, Rad--bigger words than you +used to use on your mule Boomerang," and Tom forced a laugh. "All he +meant was that you'd have to stay in bed a while and let Koku wait on +you." + +"Huh! Am dat--dat big--dat big nice man heah now?" asked Rad, feeling +around with his bandaged hand; and a smile showed beneath the cloth +over his eyes. + +"I here right upsidedown by you, Rad," said Koku, and his big hand +clasped the smaller one of the black man. + +"Koku--yo'--yo' am mighty good to me," murmured Eradicate. "I reckon I +been cross to yo' sometimes, but I didn't mean nuffin' by it!" + +"Huh! me an' you good friends now," said the giant. "Anybody what hurt +my Rad, I--I--bust 'im! Dat I do!" cried the big fellow. + +"Come on," whispered Tom to Ned. "They'll get along all right together +now." + +But Eradicate caught the sound of his young employer's footsteps and +called: + +"Yo' goin', Massa Tom?" + +"Yes, Rad. Is there anything you want?" + +"No, Massa Tom. I jest wanted to ast if yo' done 'membered de time mah +mule Boomerang got stuck in de road, an' yo' couldn't git past in yo' +auto? Does yo' 'member dat?" + +"Indeed I do!" laughed Tom, and Eradicate also chuckled at the +recollection. + +"That laugh will do him more good than medicine," declared the doctor, +as he took his leave. "I'll come again, when I can make a more thorough +examination," he added. + +For Tom the following days, that lengthened into weeks, were anxious +ones. There was a constant worry over Eradicate. Then, too, he was +having trouble with his latest invention--his aerial fire-fighting +apparatus. It was not that Tom was financially dependent on this +invention. He was wealthy enough for his needs from other patented +inventions he and his father owned. + +But Tom Swift was a lad not easily satisfied. Once embarked on an +enterprise, whether it was the creation of a gigantic searchlight, an +electric rifle, a photo telephone or a war tank, he never rested until +he had brought it to a successful consummation. + +But there was something about this chemical fire extinguishing mixture +that defied the young inventor's best efforts. Mixture after mixture +was tried and discarded. Tom wanted something better than the usual +carbonate and sulphuric combination, and he was not going to rest until +he found it. + +"I think you've struck a blind lead, Tom," said Ned, more than once. + +"Well, I'm not going to give up," was the firm answer. + +"Bless my shoe laces!" cried Mr. Damon, when he had called on Tom once +at the Baxter laboratory and had been driven out, holding his breath, +because of the chemical fumes, "I should think you couldn't even start +a fire with that around, Tom, much less need to put one out." + +"Well, it doesn't seem to work," said the young inventor ruefully. +"Everything I do lately goes wrong." + +"It is that way sometimes," said Mr. Baxter. "Suppose you let me study +over your formulae a bit, Mr. Swift. I haven't given much thought to +fire extinguishers, but I may be able, for that very reason, to +approach the subject from a new angle. I'll lay aside my attempt to get +back the lost formulae and help you." + +"I wish you would!" exclaimed Tom eagerly. "My head is woozie from +thinking! Suppose I leave you to yourself for a time, Mr. Baxter? I'll +go for an airship ride." + +"Yes, do," urged the chemist. "Sometimes a change of scene is of +benefit. I'll see what I can do for you." + +"Will you come along, Ned--Mr. Damon?" asked Tom, as he prepared to +leave the improvised laboratory, the repairs on his own not yet having +been finished. + +"Thank you, no," answered Ned. "I have some collections to make." + +"And I promised my wife I'd take her riding, Tom," said the jolly, +eccentric man. "Bless my umbrella! she'd never forgive me if I went off +with you. But I'll run you to your first stopping place, Ned, and you +to your hangar, Tom." + +His invitation was accepted, and, in due season, Tom was soaring aloft +in one of his speedy cloud craft. + +"Guess I'll drop down and get Mary Nestor," he decided, after riding +about alone for a while and finding that the motor was running sweetly +and smoothly. "She hasn't been out lately." + +Tom made a landing in a field not far from the home of the girl he +hoped to marry some day, and walked over to her house. + +"Go for a ride? I just guess. I will!" cried Mary, with sparkling eyes. +"Just wait until I get on my togs." + +She had a leather suit, as had Tom, and they were soon in the machine, +which, being equipped with a self-starter, did not need the services of +a mechanician to whirl the propellers. + +"Oh, isn't it glorious!" said Mary, as she sat at Tom's side. They +were in a little enclosed cabin of the craft--which carried just +two--and, thus enclosed, they could speak by raising their voices +somewhat, for the noise of the motor was much muffled, due to one of +Tom's inventions. + +Other rides on other days followed this one, for Tom found more rest +and better refreshment after his hours of toil and study in these rides +with Mary than in any other way. + +"I do love these rides, Tom!" the girl cried one day when the two were +soaring aloft. "And this one I really believe is better than any of the +rest. Though I always think that," she added, with a slight laugh. + +"Glad you like it," Tom answered, and there was something in his voice +that caused Mary to look curiously at him. + +"What's the matter, Tom?" she asked. "Has anything happened? Is Rad's +case hopeless?" + +"Oh, no, not yet. Of course it isn't yet sure that he will ever see +again, but, on the other hand, it isn't decided that he can't. It's a +fifty-fifty proposition." + +"But what makes you so serious?" + +"Was I?" + +"I should say so! You haven't told me one funny thing that Mr. Damon +has said lately." + +"Oh, haven't I? Well, let me see now," and he sent the machine up a +little. "Well, the other day he--" + +Tom suddenly stopped speaking and began rapidly turning several valve +wheels and levers. + +"What--what's the matter?" gasped Mary, but she did not clutch his arm. +She knew better than that. + +"The motor has stopped," Tom answered, and the girl became aware of a +cessation of the subdued hum. + +"Is it--does it mean danger?" she asked. + +"Not necessarily so," Tom replied. "It means we have to make a forced +landing, that's all. Sit tight! We're going down rather faster than +usual, Mary, but we'll come out of it all right!"' + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +STRANGE TALK + + +There was a rapid and sudden drop. Mary, sitting beside Tom Swift in +the speedy aeroplane, watched with fascinated eyes as he quickly +juggled with levers and tried different valve wheels. The girl, through +her goggles, had a vision of a landscape shooting past with the speed +of light. She glimpsed a brook, and, almost instantly, they had skimmed +over it. + +A jar, a nerve-racking tilt to one side, the creaking of wood and the +rattle of metal, a careening, and then the machine came to a stop, not +exactly on a level keel, but at least right side up, in the midst of a +wide field. + +Tom shut off the gas, cut his spark, and, raising his goggles, looked +down at Mary at his side. + +"Scared?" he asked, smiling. + +"I was," she frankly admitted. "Is anything broken, Tom?" + +"I hope not," answered the young inventor. "At least if it is, the +damage is on the under part. Nothing visible up here. But let me help +you out. Looks as if we'd have to run for it." + +"Run?" repeated Mary, while proving that she did not exactly need help, +for she was getting out of her seat unaided. "Why? Is it going to catch +fire?" + +"No. But it's going to rain soon--and hard, too, if I'm any judge," Tom +said. "I don't believe I'll take a chance trying to get the machine +going again. We'll make for that farmhouse and stay there until after +the storm. Looks as if we could get shelter there, and perhaps a bit to +eat. I'm beginning to feel hungry." + +"It is going to rain!" decided Mary, as Tom helped her down over the +side of the fusilage. "It's good we are so near shelter." + +Tom did not answer. He was making a hasty but accurate observation of +the state of his aeroplane. The landing wheels had stood the shock +well, and nothing appeared to be broken. + +"We came down rather harder than I wanted to," remarked Tom, as he +crawled out after his inspection of the machine. "Though I've made +worse forced landings than that." + +"What caused it?" asked Mary, glancing up at the clouds, which were +getting blacker and blacker, and from which, now and then, vivid +flashes of lightning came while low mutterings of thunder rolled nearer +and nearer. "Something seemed to be wrong with the carburetor," Tom +answered. "I won't try to monkey with it now. Let's hike for that +farmhouse. We'll be lucky if we don't get drenched. Are you sure you're +all right, Mary?" + +"Certainly, Tom. I can stand a worse shaking up than that. And you +needn't think I can't run, either!" + +She proved this by hastening along at Tom's side. And there was need of +haste, for soon after they left the stranded aeroplane the big drops +began to pelt down, and they reached the house just as the deluge came. + +"I don't know this place, do you, Tom?" asked Mary, as they ran in +through a gateway in a fence that surrounded the property. A path +seemed to lead all around the old, rambling house, and there was a +porch with a side entrance door. This, being nearer, had been picked +out by the young inventor and his friend. + +"No, I don't remember being here before," Tom answered. "But I've +passed the place often enough with Ned and Mr. Damon. I guess they +won't refuse to let us sit on the porch, and they may be induced to +give us a glass of milk and some sandwiches--that is, sell them to us." + +He and Mary, a little breathless from their run, hastened up on the +porch, slightly wet from the sudden outburst of rain. As Tom knocked on +the door there came a clap of thunder, following a burst of lightning, +that caused Mary to put her hands over her ears. + +"Guess they didn't hear that," observed Tom, as the echoes of the blast +died away. "I mean my knock. The thunder drowned it. I'll try again." + +He took advantage of a lull in the thundering reverberations, and +tapped smartly. The door was almost at once opened by an aged woman, +who stared in some amazement at the young people. Then she said: + +"Guests must go to the front door." + +"Guests!" exclaimed Tom. "We aren't exactly guests. Of course we'd like +to be considered in that light. But we've had an accident--my aeroplane +stopped and we'd like to stay here out of the storm, and perhaps get +something to eat." + +"That can be arranged--yes," said the old woman, who spoke with a +foreign accent. "But you must go to the front door. This is the +servant's entrance." + +Mary was just thinking that they used considerable formality for casual +wayfarers, when the situation dawned on Tom Swift. + +"Is this a restaurant--an inn?" he asked. + +"Yes," answered the old woman. "It is Meadow Inn. Please go to the +front door." + +"All right," Tom agreed good-naturedly. "I'm glad we struck the place, +anyhow." + +The porch extended around three sides of the old, rambling house. +Proceeding along the sheltered piazza, Tom and Mary soon found +themselves at the front door. There the nature of the place was at once +made plain, for on a board was lettered the words "Meadow Inn." + +"I see what has happened," Tom remarked, as he opened the old-fashioned +ground glass door and ushered Mary in. "Some one has taken the old +farmhouse and made it into a roadhouse--a wayside inn. I shouldn't +think such a place would pay out here; but I'm mighty glad we struck +it." + +"Yes, indeed," agreed Mary. + +The old farmhouse, one of the best of its day, had been transformed +into a roadhouse of the better class. On either side of the entrance +hall were dining rooms, in which were set small tables, spread with +snowy cloths. + +"In here, sir, if you please," said a white-aproned waiter, gliding +forward to take Tom's leather coat and Mary's jacket of like material. +The waiter ushered them into a room, in which at first there seemed to +be no other diners. Then, from behind a screen which was pulled around +a table in one corner, came the murmur of voices and the clatter of +cutlery on china, which told of some one at a meal there. + +"Somebody is fond of seclusion," thought Tom, as he and Mary took their +places. And as he glanced over the bill of fare his ears caught the +murmur of the voices of two men coming from behind the screen. One +voice was low and rumbling, the other high-pitched and querulous. + +"Talking business, probably," mused Tom. "What do you feel like +eating?" he asked Mary. + +"I wasn't very hungry until I came in," she answered, with a smile. +"But it is so cozy and quaint here, and so clean and neat, that it +really gives one an appetite. Isn't it a delightful place, Tom? Did you +know it was here?" + +"It is very nice. And as this is the first I have been here for a long +while I didn't know, any more than you, that it had been made into a +roadhouse. But what shall I order for you?" + +"I should think you would have had enough experience by this time," +laughed Mary, for it was not the first occasion that she and Tom had +dined out. + +Thereupon he gave her order and his own, too, and they were soon eating +heartily of food that was in keeping with the appearance of the place. + +"I must bring Ned and Mr. Damon here," said Tom. "They'll appreciate +the quaintness of this inn," for many of the quaint appointments of the +old farmhouse had been retained, making it a charming resort for a meal. + +"Mr. Damon will like it," said Mary. "Especially the big fireplace," +and she pointed to one on which burned a blaze of hickory wood. "He'll +bless everything he sees." + +"And cause the waiter to look at me as though I had brought in an +escaped inmate from some sanitarium," laughed Tom. "No use talking, Mr. +Damon is delightfully queer! Now what do you want for dessert?" + +"Let me see the card," begged Mary. "I fancy some French pastry, if +they have it." + +Tom gazed idly but approvingly about as she scanned the list. The +sound of the rumbling and the higher-pitched voices had gone on +throughout the entire meal, and now, as comparative silence filled the +room, the clatter of knives and forks having ceased, Tom heard more +clearly what was being said behind the screen. + +"Well, I tell you what it is," said the man whom Tom mentally dubbed +Mr. High. "We got out of that blaze mighty luckily!" + +"Yes," agreed he of the rumbly voice, whom Tom thought of as Mr. Low, +"it was a close shave. If it hadn't been for his chemicals, though, +there would have been a cleaner sweep." + +"Indeed there would! I never knew that any of them could act as fire +extinguishers." + +Tom seemed to stiffen at this, and his hearing became more acute. + +"They aren't really fire extinguishers in the real sense of the word," +went on the other man behind the screen. "It must have been some +accidental combination of them. But in spite of that we put it all over +Josephus Baxter in that fire!" + +"What's this? What's this?" thought Tom, shooting a glance at Mary and +noting that apparently she had not heard what was said. "What strange +talk is this?" + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SUSPICIONS + + +"What's that?" exclaimed Mary Nestor, giving such a start as she sat +opposite Tom at the restaurant table that she dropped the bill of fare +she had been looking over. + +A crash had resounded through the room, but it spoke well for the state +of Tom's nerves that he gave no indication that he had heard the noise. +It was caused by a waiter when he dropped a plate, which was smashed +into pieces on the floor. The noise was startling enough to excuse Mary +for jumping in her chair, and it seemed to put an end to the strange +talk of "Mr. High" and "Mr. Low" back of the screen, for after the +crash of china only indistinct murmurs came from there. But Tom Swift +did not cease to wonder at the import of the talk about chemicals, +fire, and the mention of the name of Josephus Baxter. + +"I think I'll try some of those Murolloas, as they call them, Tom," +announced Mary, having made her selection of the pastry. "And may I +have another cup of tea?" + +"Two if you like," answered the young inventor. "They say tea is good +for the nerves, and you seem to need something, judging by the way you +jumped when that plate fell." + +"Oh, Tom, that isn't fair! After the way we had to come down in your +'plane!" objected Mary. + +"That's right!" he conceded. "I forgot about that. My fault, entirely!" + +Mary smiled, and seemed to have regained her composure. Tom glanced at +her anxiously, not because of what he thought might be the state of her +nerves, but to see if she had sensed anything the two men behind the +screen had said. But the girl gave no indication that her mind had been +occupied with anything more than the selection of her dessert. + +"I wonder who they are, and what they meant by that talk," mused Tom, +as the waiter served the Murolloas to him and Mary. "Poor Baxter! It +looks as if he might have more enemies than the fireworks men he +accuses of having taken his valuable formulae. I must see him soon, and +have a talk with him. Yes, I must make a special point to see Josephus +Baxter. But first I'd like to have a glimpse of these men." + +Tom's wish in this respect was soon gratified, for before he and Mary +had finished their pastry and tea there was a scraping of chairs back +of the sheltering screen, and the two men, "Mr. Low" and "Mr. High," +who had finished their meal, came forth. + +Tom's judgment as to the statures of the men, based on the quality of +their voices, was not exactly borne out. For it was the big man who had +the high pitched, squeaky voice, and the little man who had the deep, +rumbling tones. + +They passed out, without more than a glance at Tom and his companion, +but the young inventor peered at them sharply. As far as he could tell +he had seen neither of them before, though he had an idea of their +identity. + +Tom took the chance to make certain this conjecture when Mary left her +seat, announcing that she was going to the ladies' parlor to arrange +her hair, which the run to escape from the rain had disarranged. + +"Some storm," Tom observed to the waiter, who came up when the young +inventor indicated that he wanted his check. + +"Yes, sir, it came suddenly. Hope you didn't have to change a tire in +it, sir." + +"No, my machine isn't that kind," replied Tom, as he handed out a +generous tip. "If I need a new tire I generally need a whole new +outfit." + +"Oh, then--" Obviously the man was puzzled. + +"We came in an aeroplane," Tom explained. "But we had to make a forced +landing. Is there a garage near here? I may need some help getting +started." + +"We accommodate a few cars in what was once the barn, and we have a +good mechanic, sir. If you'd like to see him--" + +"I would," interrupted Tom. "Tell the young lady to wait here for me. +I'll see if I can get the Scud to work. If not, I'll have to telephone +to town for a taxi. Did those men who just left come in a car?" and he +nodded in the direction taken by the two who had dined behind the +screen. + +"Yes, sir. And they had engine trouble, I believe. Our man fixed up +their machine." + +"Then he's the chap I want to see," thought Tom. "I'll have a talk with +him." He reasoned that he could get more about the identity of the two +mysterious men from the mechanic than from the waiter. Nor was he wrong +in this surmise. + +"Oh, them two fellers!" exclaimed the mechanician, after he had agreed +to go with Tom to where the airship Scud was stalled. "They come from +over Shopton way. They own a fireworks factory--or they did, before it +burned." + +"Are they Field and Melling?" asked Tom, trying not to let any +excitement betray itself in his voice. + +"That's the names they gave me," said the man. "Little man's Field. He +gave me his card. I'm going to get a job overhauling his car. There +isn't enough work here to keep a man busy, and I told 'em I could do a +little on the outside. This place just started, and not many folks know +about it yet." + +"So I judge," Tom said. "Well, I'll be glad to have you give me a hand. +I fancy the carburetor is out of order." + +And this, when the young inventor and the mechanician from Meadow Inn +reached the stranded Scud, was found to be the case. The storm had +passed, and Mary told Tom she would not mind waiting at the Inn until +he found whether or not he could get his air craft in working order. + +"There you are! That's the trouble!" exclaimed the mechanician, as he +took something out of the carburetor. "A bit of rubber washer choked +the needle valve." + +"Glad you found it," said Tom heartily. "Now I guess we can ride back." + +While preparations were being made to test the Scud after the +carburetor had been reassembled, Tom's mind was busy with many +thoughts, and chief among them were suspicions concerning Field and +Melling. + +"If their talk meant anything at all," reasoned the young inventor, "it +meant that there was some deal in which Josephus Baxter got the worst +of it. 'Putting it over on him in the fire,' could only mean that. Of +course it isn't any of my business, in a way, but I don't think it is +right to stand by and see a fellow inventor defrauded. + +"Of course," mused Tom, while his helper put the finishing touches to +the carburetor, "it may have been a business deal in which one took as +many chances as the other. There are always two sides to every story. +Baxter says they took his formulae, but he may have taken something +from them to make it even. The only thing is that I'd trust Baxter +sooner than I would those two fellows, and he certainly had a narrow +squeak at the fire. + +"But I have my own troubles, I guess, trying to perfect that +fire-fighting chemical, and I haven't much time to bother with Field +and Melling, unless they come my way." + +"There, I reckon she'll work," said the mechanician, as he fastened the +last valve in the carburetor. "It was an easier job than I expected. +Wasn't as much trouble as I had over their car those two fellers you +were speaking of--Field and Melling. They're rich guys!" + +"Yes?" replied Tom, questioningly. + +"Sure! They've started a big dye company." + +"A dye company?" repeated the young inventor, all his suspicions coming +back as he recalled that Baxter had said his formulae were more +valuable for dyes than for fireworks. + +"Yes, they're trying to get the business that used to go to the Germans +before the war," went on the man. + +"Yes, the Germans used to have a monopoly of the dye industry," said +Tom, hoping the man would talk on. He need not have worried. He was of +the talkative type. + +"Well, if these fellers have their way they'll make a million in dyes," +proceeded the mechanician, as he stepped down out of the airship. +"They've built a big plant, and they have offices in the Landmark +Building." + +"Where's that?" asked Tom. + +"Over in Newmarket," the man went on, naming the nearest large city to +Shopton. "The Landmark Building is a regular New York skyscraper. +Haven't you seen it?" + +"No," Tom answered, "I haven't. Been too busy, I guess. So Field and +Melling have their offices there?" + +"Yes, and a big plant on the outskirts for making dyes. They half +offered me a job at the factory, but I thought I'd try this out first; +I like it here." + +"It is a nice place," agreed Tom. "Well, now let's see if she'll work," +and he nodded at the Scud. + +It needed but a short test to demonstrate this and soon Tom went back +to the Inn for Mary. + +"Are you sure we shall not have to make another forced landing?" she +asked with a smile, a she took her place in the cockpit. + +"You can't guarantee anything about an aeroplane," said Tom. "But +everything is in our favor, and if we do have to come down I have a +better landing field than this." He glanced over the meadow near the +wayside inn. + +"I suppose I'll have to take a chance," said Mary. + +However, neither of them need have worried, for the Scud tried, +evidently, to redeem herself, and flew back to Shopton without a hitch. +After making sure that his engine was running smoothly, Tom found his +mind more at ease, and again he caught himself casting about to find +some basis for his suspicious thoughts regarding the two men who had +talked behind the screen. + +"What is their game?" Tom found himself asking himself over and over +again. "What did they 'put over' on poor Baxter?" + +Tom had a chance to find out more about this, or at least start on the +trail sooner than he expected. For when he landed he saw Koku, the +giant, coming toward him with an appearance of excitement. + +"Is Rad worse? Is there more trouble with his eyes?" asked the young +inventor. + +"No, him not much too bad," answered Koku. "I keep him good as I can. +He sleep now, so I come out to swallow some fresh air. But man come to +see you--much mad man." + +"Mad?" queried Tom. + +"Well, what you say--angry," went on Koku. "Man what was in Roman +Skycracker blaze." + +"Oh, you mean Mr. Baxter, who was in the fireworks blaze," translated +Tom. "Where is he, and what's the matter?" + + + + +CHAPTER X + +ANOTHER ATTEMPT + + +Koku managed to make Tom understand that the dye inventor was in the +main office of the Swift plant talking to Tom's father. The young +inventor sent Mary home in his electric runabout in company with Ned +Newton, who, fortunately, happened along just then, and hurried to his +office. + +"Oh, Tom, I'm glad you have arrived," said his father. "You remember +Mr. Baxter, of course." + +"I should hope so," Tom answered, extending his hand. He noticed that +the man whom he had helped save from the fireworks blaze was under the +stress of some excitement. + +"I hope he hasn't been getting on dad's nerves," thought Tom, as he +took a seat. The elder Mr. Swift had been quite ill, and it was thought +for a time that he would have to give up helping Tom. But there had +been a turn for the better, and the aged inventor had again taken his +place in the laboratory, though he was frail. + +"What's the trouble now?" asked Tom. "At least I assume there has been +some trouble," he went on. "If I am wrong--" + +"No, you are right, unfortunately," said Mr. Baxter gloomily. "The +trouble is that everything I do is a failure. Up to a little while ago +I thought I might succeed, in spite of Field and Melling's theft of the +formulae from me. I made a purple dye the other day, and tested it +today. It was a miserable failure, and it got on my nerves. I came to +see if you could help me." + +"In what way?" asked Tom, wondering whether or not he had best tell Mr. +Baxter what he had overheard at the Inn. + +"Well, I need better laboratory facilities," the man went on. "I know +you have been very kind to me, Mr. Swift, and it seems like an +imposition to ask for more. But I need a different lot of chemicals, +and they cost money. I also need some different apparatus. You have it +in your big laboratory. That wouldn't cost you anything. But of course +to go out and buy what I need--" + +"Oh I guess we can stand that, can't we, Dad?" asked Tom, with a genial +smile. "You may have free access to our big laboratory, Mr. Baxter, and +I'll see that you get what chemicals you need." + +"Oh, thank you!" exclaimed the inventor. "Now I believe I shall succeed +in spite of those rascals. Just think, Mr. Swift! They have started a +big new dye factory." + +"So I have heard," replied Tom. + +"And I'm almost sure they're using the secret formulae they stole from +me!" exclaimed Mr. Baxter. "But I'll get the best of them yet! I'll +invent a better dye than they ever can, even if they use the secrets +the old Frenchman gave me. All I need is a better place to work and all +the chemicals at my disposal." + +"Then we'll try to help you," offered Tom. + +"And if I can do anything let me know," put in Mr. Swift. "I shall be +glad to get in the harness again, Tom!" he added. + +"Well, if you're so anxious to work, Dad, why not give me a hand with +my fire extinguisher chemical?" asked Tom. "I haven't been able to hit +on the solution, somehow or other." + +"Perhaps I may be able to give you a hint or two after I get settled +down," suggested Mr. Baxter. + +"I shall be glad of any assistance you can give," replied Tom Swift. +"And now I'm going to start right in. Dad, you can make the +arrangements for Mr. Baxter to use our big laboratory. And let him have +credit for any chemicals he needs. Have them put on my bill, for I am +buying a lot myself." + +"I'll never forget this," said Mr. Baxter, and there were tears in his +eyes as he shook hands with Tom, who tried to make light of his +generous act. + +Tom, after the wrecking of his laboratory, in which accident poor +Eradicate was injured, had built himself another--two others, in fact, +after having shared Mr. Baxter's temporary one for a time. Tom put up +the most completely equipped laboratory that could be devised, and he +also erected a smaller one for his own personal use, the main one being +at the disposal of his father and the various heads of the different +departments of the Shopton plant. + +The little conference broke up, and Tom was on his way to his own +special private laboratory when there came the sound of some excitement +in the corridor outside and Mr. Damon burst in. + +"Bless my accident policy, Tom! what's this I hear?" he asked, all in a +fluster. + +"I'm sure I don't know," answered the young inventor, with a smile. +"What about?" + +"About you and Mary Nestor being killed!" burst out Mr. Damon. "I +heard you fell in the aeroplane and were both dashed to pieces!" + +"If you can believe the evidence of your own eyes, I'm far from being +in that state," laughed Tom. "And as for Mary, she just left here with +Ned Newton." + +"Thank goodness!" sighed Mr. Damon, sinking into a chair. "Bless my +elevator! I rushed over as soon as I heard the news, and I was almost +afraid to come in. I'm so glad it didn't happen!" + +"No gladder than I," said Tom. "We had to make a forced landing, that +was all," and he made as light of the incident as possible when he saw +the look of terror in his father's eyes. + +"Some people in Waterford saw you going down," went on Mr. Damon, "and +they told me." + +"It was a false alarm," replied Tom. "And now, Mr. Damon, if you want +to smell some perfumes come with me." + +"Are you going into that line, Tom?" asked the eccentric man. "Bless +my handkerchief, my wife will be glad of that!" + +"I mean I'm going to experiment some more with fire-extinguishing +chemicals," laughed the young inventor. "If you want to--" + +"Bless my gas mask, I should say not!" cried Mr. Damon. "I don't see +how you stand those odors, Tom Swift." + +"Guess I'm used to 'em," was the answer. And then, leaving his father +to entertain Mr. Damon and to make arrangements for Mr. Baxter's use of +the main laboratory, he betook himself to his own private quarters. + +The next week or so was a busy time for Tom; so busy, in fact, that he +had little chance to see Mr. Baxter. All he knew was that the +unfortunate man was also laboring in his own line, and Tom wished him +success. He knew that if the man made any discoveries that would help +with the fire-extinguishing fluid he would report, as he had promised. + +"Well, Tom, how goes it?" asked Ned one day when he came over to call +on his chum. "Are you ready to accept contracts for putting out +skyscraper blazes in all big cities?" + +"Not yet," was the answer. "But I'm going to make another attempt, Ned." + +"You mean another experiment?" + +"Yes, I have evolved a new combination of chemicals, using something of +the carbonate idea as a basis. I found that I couldn't get away from +that, much as I wanted to. But my application is entirely new, at least +I hope it will prove so." + +"When are you going to try it?" asked Ned. + +"Right away. All I have to do is to put the chemicals in the metal +tank." + +"Then I'd better get my leather suit on," remarked Ned, starting to +take off his street coat. Tom kept for his chum a full outfit of flying +garments, one suit being electrically heated. + +"Oh, we aren't going up in any airship," Tom said. + +"Why, I thought you were going to test your aerial fire fighting +dingus!" exclaimed Ned. + +"So I am. But I want to stay on the ground and watch the effect on the +blaze as the tank bursts and scatters the chemical fluid." + +"Then you want me, and perhaps Mr. Damon to take the stuff up in the +machine? Excuse me. I don't believe I care to run an airship myself." + +"No," went on Tom, "there isn't any question of an airship this time. +No one is going up. Come on out into the yard and I'll show you." + +Ned Newton followed his chum out into the big yard near one of the +shops. Erected in it, and evidently a new structure, was a large wooden +scaffold in square tower shape with a long overhanging arm and a +platform on the extremity. Beneath it was a pit dug in the earth, and +in this pit, which was directly under the outstanding arm of the tower, +was a pile of wood and shavings, oil-soaked. + +"Oh, I see the game," remarked Ned. "You're going to drop the stuff +from this height instead of doing it from an airship." + +"Yes," Tom answered. "There will be time enough to go on with the +airship end of it after I get the right combination of chemicals. And +by having a metal container with the stuff in dropped from this frame +work, I can station myself as near the burning pit as I can get and +watch what happens." + +"It's a good idea," decided Ned. "I wonder you didn't try that before." + +"Mr. Baxter suggested it," replied Tom. "That helpful idea more than +pays me for what I have done for him. So now, if you're ready, I'd like +to have you watch with me and make some notes, one of us on one side of +the pit, and one on the other. There are always two sides to a fire, +the leeward and the windward, and I want to see how my chemicals act in +both positions." + +"I'm with you," said Ned. "Who's going to drop the stuff--Koku?" + +"No, he is a bit too heavy for the framework, which I had put up in a +hurry. I'd have Rad do it, but he's out of the game." + +"Poor old Rad!" murmured Ned. "Do you think he'll ever get better, Tom?" + +"I don't know," sighed the young inventor. "All I can do is to hope. He +is very patient, and Koku is devoted to him. All their little +bickerings and squabbles seem to have been forgotten." + +Tom called some of his workmen, some of them to start the blaze of +inflammable material in the pit, while one climbed up to the top of the +tower of scantlings and made his way out on the extended arm, where +there was a little platform for him to stand until it was time to drop +the chemicals. + +"Light her up!" cried Tom Swift, and a match was thrown in among the +oiled wood. In an instant a fierce blaze shot up, as hot, in +proportion, as would come from any burning building. + +For the second time Tom was about to make a test on a fairly large +scale of his experimental extinguisher mixture. + +"All ready up there?" he called to his helper perched high in the air. + +"All ready!" came back the answer above the roar and crackle of the +flames that made Tom and Ned step back. + +Would success or failure attend the young inventor's project? + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE BLAZING TREE + + +Tom Swift hesitated a moment before giving the final word that would +send the metal container of powerful chemicals down into the midst of +the crackling flames. He wanted to make sure, in his own mind, that he +had done everything possible to insure the success of his undertaking. +The young inventor never attempted the solution of any problem without +going into it with his whole energy. So he wanted this experiment to +succeed. + +He quickly reviewed, mentally, the composition of the chemical +compound. He had made it as strong as possible, and he had spared no +pains to insure a hot fire, so that the test would not be too simple. + +"What's the matter, Tom?" asked Ned, as his chum appeared to hesitate +about giving the word that would send the chemicals hurtling down into +the fire. + +"Nothing. I was just making sure I hadn't forgotten anything," Tom +answered. "I guess I haven't." + +He paused a moment, looked up at his assistant on the overhanging arm +of the tower, glanced down at the flames, now at their height, and then +suddenly cried: + +"Let her go!" + +"Right!" came back the man's voice, and then a dark object, like a +bomb, was seen descending from the skeleton framework above the flames. + +There was a scattering of the fire in the pit as the extinguisher bomb +fell among the blazing embers. Then followed a slight explosion when +the bomb broke, as it was intended it should. + +Tom and Ned leaned forward to peer through the pall of smoke which +swirled this way and that. Here was to come the real test of the +device. Would the fumes of the liberated chemicals choke the fire, or +would it burn on in spite of them? That was the question to be settled +for Tom Swift. + +Almost immediately he had his answer. For after a fierce burst of the +tongues of fire following the fall of the bomb, there was a distinct +dying down of the conflagration in the pit. Great clouds of smoke +arose, but the fire was quenched in a great measure, and as the +fire-blanketing gas continued to be generated from the chemicals +liberated from the bomb, there was a further dying down of the +crackling fire. + +"Tom, you've struck it!" yelled Ned in delight. "You have the right +combination this time!" + +Tom did not answer. He leaned forward and looked eagerly down into the +pit. He was about to join with Ned in agreeing that he had, indeed, +solved the problem, when, to his surprise, the flames started up again. + +"What's this?" asked the young financial manager. "Are you going to +have a second test, Tom?" + +"Not that I know of," was the puzzled answer. "I don't exactly +understand this myself, Ned. By all calculations this fire ought to +have died a natural death, but now it is breaking out again. I think +what must have happened is that a quantity of the oil they poured on +collected in a pool and didn't get all the effects of the chemicals +from the bomb. Then the oil started to blaze." + +"What can you do about it?" Ned wanted to know. + +"Oh, I've got another bomb up there," and Tom pointed to his helper who +was still perched on the overhanging arm. "I was prepared for some such +emergency as this. Drop the other one!" Tom yelled, and again a dark +object fell, bursting in the pit and again liberating the gas that was +supposed to choke any fire. + +The flames that had started up for the second time instantly died down, +and Ned, leaning over the edge of the pit, cried: + +"Hurray, Tom! That does the business!" But the young inventor shook his +head. "I'm not quite satisfied," he remarked. "It didn't work quickly +enough. What I want is a chemical combination that will choke the fire +off first shot." + +"Well, you pretty nearly have it," observed Ned. + +"Yes. But 'good enough' isn't what I want," Tom said. "I've got to work +on that chemical compound again. I think I know where I can improve it." + +"Well, if I were a fire, and I had this happen to me," remarked Ned, +laughing and pointing to the heap of blackened embers in the pit, "I +should feel very much discouraged." + +"But not enough," declared Tom. "I want the fire to be out more quickly +than this one was. I think I can improve that chemical compound, and +I'm going to do it." + +"All right! Come on down!" he called to his helper, who was still +perched on the overhanging arm. "We won't do any more today." + +"What is your next move?" asked Ned, as Tom started for his small, +private laboratory. + +"Oh, I'm going to fiddle around among those sweet-smelling chemicals," +answered the young inventor. + +"Bless my vest buttons! then I'm not coming in, exclaimed a voice which +could proceed from none other than Mr. Damon. And he it proved to be. +He had driven over from Waterford in his automobile and had arrived +just as the fire test was concluded. + +"Oh, come on in!" called Tom. "You can visit with dad, and Eradicate +will be glad to see you." + +"Poor Rad! How is he?" asked Mr. Damon, walking along with Tom and Ned. + +"No change," was the sad answer of the young inventor, for he felt +responsible for the mishap to the colored man. "They can't operate on +his eyes yet." + +"And when they do will he be able to see?" asked Mr. Damon. + +"That is what we are all hoping," answered Tom with a sigh. "But do go +in to see him, Mr. Damon. It will cheer him up." + +"I will," promised the eccentric man. "At any rate I'll not venture +near your perfume shop, Tom Swift!" + +"And I don't see that I can be of any service," added Ned, "so I'm off +to my work." + +"All right," assented Tom. "I've got several new schemes to try. Some +of them ought to work." + +Tom Swift was very busy for the next few days--so busy, in fact, that +even Mary saw little of him. He was closeted with Mr. Baxter more than +once, and that individual seemed to lose some of his bitter feelings +over the loss of his formulae as he found he could be of service to the +young inventor. For he was of service in suggesting new ways of +combining fire-fighting chemicals, gained by his association with the +fireworks concern. + +"And that's about all the benefit I derived from being with those +scoundrels, Field and Melling," said Mr. Baxter gloomily. + +"You still think they took your dye formulae?" asked Tom. + +"I'm positive of it, but I can't prove anything. They threatened to get +the best of me when I would not sell them, for a ridiculously low sum, +an interest in the secrets. And I believe they did get the best of me +during that fire." + +"I believe the same!" exclaimed Tom. + +"How is that? What do you know? Can you help me prove anything against +them?" eagerly asked the chemist. + +"Well, I don't know," answered Tom slowly. "I'll tell you what I heard." + +Thereupon he related the conversation he had overheard while with Mary +at the wayside inn. The eyes of Josephus Baxter gleamed as he listened +to this recital. + +"So that was their game!" he cried, as he smote the table with his +fist, thereby nearly upsetting a test tube of acid, which Tom caught +just in time. "I knew something crooked was going on, and they thought +I'd be so badly overcome in the fire that I wouldn't know, or wouldn't +remember, what happened." + +"What did happen?" asked Tom. "All I know is that you were overcome in +the laboratory room." + +"It's too long a story to tell in detail now," said Mr. Baxter. "But +the main facts are that through misrepresentations I was induced to +associate myself with Field and Melling. They had a good factory for +the making of fireworks, and some of the chemicals used in that +industry also enter into the manufacture of the kind of dyes I have in +mind to make. So I associated myself with them, they agreeing to let me +use their laboratory. + +"One night they came to see me as I was working there over my formulae. +They pretended to have discovered something in an expired patent that +nullified what I had. I did not believe this to be so, and I brought +out my formulae to compare with theirs--or what they said they had. The +next thing I remember was that the fire broke out and my formulae +disappeared. Then I was overcome, and I did not care what happened to +me, for, having lost the valuable dye formulae, I did not think life +worth living. + +"Perhaps I was foolish," said Mr. Baxter, "but I had tried so many +things and failed, and I counted so much on these formulae that it +seemed as if the bottom dropped out of everything when I lost them." + +"I know," said Tom sympathetically. "I've been in the same boat myself. +But are you sure they took the papers which meant so much to you?" + +"I don't see who else could," answered the chemist. "The papers were in +a tin box on the table in the room where I was overcome by fire gases, +or where, perhaps, they drugged me. I am not clear on this point. And +afterward the tin box could not be found. There wasn't enough fire in +that room to have melted it." + +"No," agreed Tom, "it was mostly smoke in there, and smoke won't melt +tin. Nor did I see any box on the table when we carried you out." + +"Then the only other surmise is that Field and Melling got away with my +formulae during the excitement and when I was half unconscious," Went +on Mr. Baxter bitterly. "But you can see how foolish I would be to +accuse them in court. I haven't a bit of proof." + +"Not much, for a fact," agreed Tom. "Well, with what I heard and what +you tell me, perhaps we can work up a case against them later. I'll go +over it with Ned. He has a better head for business than I." + +"Yes, we inventors need some business brains; or at least the time to +give to business problems," agreed the chemist. "But enough of my +troubles. Let's get at this chemical compound of yours." + +Tom and Mr. Baxter spent many days and nights perfecting the +fire-extinguisher chemical, and, after repeated tests, Tom felt that he +was nearer his goal. + +One afternoon Ned called, and Tom invited him to go for a ride in a +small but speedy aeroplane. + +"Anything special on?" asked the young manager. + +"In a way, yes," Tom answered. "I'm having a firm in Newmarket make me +some different containers, and they have promised me samples today. I +thought I'd take a fly over and get them. I have the chemical compound +all but perfected now, and I want to give it another test." + +"All right, I'm with you," assented Ned. "Newmarket," he added +musingly. "Isn't that where Field and Melling are now?" + +"Yes. They have a factory on the outskirts of the place, and their +offices are in the Landmark Building. But we aren't going to see them, +though we may call on them later, when you have that case better worked +up." For Ned's services had been enlisted to aid Mr. Baxter. + +"I shall need a little more time," remarked Ned. "But I think we can at +least bluff them into playing into our hands. I have a report to hear +from a private detective I have hired." + +"I hope we can do something to aid Baxter," remarked Tom. "He has done +me good service in this chemical fire extinguisher matter." + +A little later Tom and Ned were speeding through the air on their way +to Newmarket. The rapid flier was making good time at not a great +height when Ned, leaning forward, appeared to be gazing at something in +the near distance. + +"What's the matter?" asked Tom, for he had his silencer on this craft +and it was possible for the occupants to converse. "Do you hear one of +the cylinders missing, Ned?" + +"No. But what's that smoke down there?" and Ned pointed. "It looks like +a fire!" + +"It is a fire!" exclaimed Tom, as he took an observation. "Not a big +one, but a fire, just the same. If only--" + +He did not finish what he started to say, but changed the direction of +his air craft and headed directly toward a pall of smoke about a mile +away. + +In a few seconds they were near enough to make out the character of the +blaze. + +"Look, Tom!" cried Ned. "It's an immense tree on fire!" + +"A tree!" exclaimed Tom, half incredulously, for he was leaning forward +to look at one of the aeroplane gages and did not have a clear view of +what Ned was looking at. + +"Yes, as sure as Mr. Damon would bless something if he were here! It's +a tree on fire up near the top!" + +"That's strange!" murmured Tom. "But it may give me just the chance +I've been looking for." + +Ned wondered at this remark on the part of his chum as the airship drew +nearer the blazing monarch in the patch of woods over which they were +then hovering. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +TOM IS LONESOME + + +"This is certainly the strangest sight I ever saw," remarked Ned, as he +and his chum flew nearer and nearer to the smoking and blazing tree. +"Is the world turning upside down, Tom, when fires start in this +fashion?" + +"I fancy it can easily be explained," answered the young inventor. +"We'll go into that later. Here, Ned, grab hold of that tin can on the +floor and take out the screw plug." + +"What's the idea?" + +"I want you to drop it as nearly as you can right into the midst of the +tree that's on fire." + +"Oh, I get your drift! Well, you can count on me." + +Ned picked up from the floor of their aeroplane a metal can similar to +those Tom used to hold oil or perhaps spare gasoline when he was +experimenting on airship speed. The opening was closed with a screw +plug, with wings to afford an easier grip. As Ned unscrewed this his +nostrils were greeted by an odor that made him gasp. + +"Don't mind a little thing like that," cried Tom. "Drop it down, Ned! +Drop it down! We're going to be right over the tree in another second +or two!" + +Ned leaned over the side of the craft and had a good view of the +strange sight. The tree that was on fire was a dead oak of great size, +dwarfing the other trees in the grove in which it stood. In common with +other oaks this one still retained many of its dried leaves, though it +was devoid, or almost devoid, of life. Ned noticed in the branches many +irregularly shaped objects, and it appeared to be these that were on +fire, blazing fiercely. + +"It looks as though some one had tied bundles of sticks in the tree and +set them on fire," Ned thought as he poised the opened tin of the +evil-smelling compound on the edge of the aeroplane's cockpit. + +"Let her go, Ned!" cried Tom. "You'll be too late in another second!" + +Ned raised himself in his seat and threw, rather than let fall, the can +straight for the blazing tree. Like a bomb it shot toward earth, and +Ned and Tom, looking down, could see it strike a limb and break open, +the rupture of the can letting loose the liquid contained in it. + +And then, before the eyes of Tom and Ned, the fire seemed to die out as +a picture melts away on a moving picture screen. The smoke rolled away +in a ball-like cloud, and the flames ceased to crackle and roar. + +"Well, for the love of molasses! what happened, Tom?" cried Ned, as the +young inventor guided his craft about in a big circle to come back +again over the tree. He wanted to make sure that the fire was out. + +It was! + +"What sent that blaze to the happy hunting grounds?" asked Ned. + +"My new aerial extinguisher," answered Tom, with justifiable pride in +his voice. "This fire happened in the nick of time for me, Ned. I had a +tin of my new combination in the car, not with any intention of using +it, though. I intended to pour it in the new containers I am having +made in Newmarket to see if it would corrode them, a thing I wish to +avoid. + +"But when I saw that tree on fire I couldn't resist the temptation to +use my very latest combination of chemicals. It is so recent that I +haven't actually tried it on a blaze yet, though I had figured out in +theory that it ought to work. And it did, Ned! It worked!" + +"Well, I should say so!" agreed his chum. "That blaze was doused for +fair. The test could not have been better. But what in the name of a +volunteer fire department set that tree to blazing, Tom?" + +"I'll tell you in a moment. I want to make some notes before I forget. +That combination seems to be just of the right strength. It did the +trick. Here, take the wheel and hold her steady while I jot down some +memoranda before they get away from me." + +Ned was capable of managing an airship, especially under Tom's watchful +eye, and as this craft was one with dual controls there was no +difficulty in shifting from one steersman to the other. + +So while Ned guided, now and then gazing down at the tree from which +some smoke still arose, though the fire was all out, Tom made the +necessary scientific notes for future amplification. + +"And now," observed Ned, as his chum resumed the wheel, "suppose you +enlighten me on how that tree came to be on fire--if you didn't set it +yourself." + +"No, I didn't do that," Tom said, with a laugh. "And I only have a +theory as to the cause of the blaze. But suppose we go down and take a +look. There's a good field around this grove, and we can get a fine +take off. I'll have to go back to Shopton anyhow, to get some more of +the chemical." + +So the aeroplane made a landing, and then the mystery was explained. +The dead oak, to which some of its last year's foliage still clung, was +the abiding place of thousands of crows that had built their nests in +it. There were hundreds of the big nests, made of dried sticks, mostly, +and these made an ideal fuel for the fire. + +"But where are the crows, and what started the fire?" asked Ned. + +"I fancy the birds flew away as soon as they saw their homes on fire," +said Tom. "Or they may not have been at home. Flocks of crows often go +to some distant feeding ground for the day, returning at night. I fancy +that is what happened here. + +"As for the cause of the blaze, I believe it was set by some +mischievous boys, who saw a good chance to have some fun without +thought of doing any real damage. For the dead tree was of no value, +and I imagine the farmers would be glad to see the flock of crows +dispersed. Some boys probably climbed up and set fire to one of the +nests, and then, when they saw the whole lot going, they became +frightened and ran away." + + And Tom's theory was, eventually, proved to be true. Some +lads, wandering afield, had set fire to the crows' nests and then, +frightened as they saw a bigger blaze than they intended, ran away. + +Tom and Ned did not remain to see what the returning crows might think +about the destruction of their homes, provided they saw fit to return, +but, starting the aeroplane, were again on their way. + +Tom had lingered long enough to make sure that his latest combination +of chemicals had been just what was needed. He felt sure that by using +a larger quantity, no fire, however fierce, could continue to blaze. + +"But I want to give it a good trial, Ned, as we did from the tower," +said Tom. "Though I don't believe there'll be a fizzle this time." + +It did not take long for Tom to secure another supply of the new +chemical. He then went with it to the firm in Newmarket that was making +his containers, or "bombs" as he called them. + +On his return he consulted with Mr. Baxter as to the ingredients of the +fluid that had put out the blaze in the tree. + +"I believe you have at last hit on the right combination," said the +chemist. "You are on the road to success, Tom. I wish I could say the +same of myself." + +"Perhaps your formulae may come back to you as suddenly as they +disappeared, or as quickly as I discovered that I had the right thing +to put out the fire," said Tom hopefully. + +Busy days followed for the young inventor. Now that he was convinced he +had at last evolved the right mixture of chemicals, he prepared to make +a test on a larger scale than merely a blazing tree. + +"I'll try it with a fire in the pit," he said to his chum. + +Preparations were made, and the day before Tom was to carry out his +plans he received a letter. + +"What's the matter? Bad news?" asked Ned, as he saw his friend's face +change after reading the epistle. + +"Nothing much. Only Mary is going away, and I had expected her to be at +the test," Tom answered. + +"Going away?" echoed Ned. "For long?" + +"Oh, no, only for a couple of weeks. She is going to visit an uncle and +aunt in Newmarket, or just outside of that city. Another uncle, Barton +Keith, has offices in the Landmark Building, I believe." + +"Landmark Building," murmured Ned. "Isn't that where Field and Melling +hang out?" + +"Yes. But don't mention Mary's uncle in connection with them," laughed +Tom. "He wouldn't like it." + +"I should say not!" + +Ned well remembered Mary's uncle, who had been associated with Tom in +recovering the treasure in the undersea search. + +"Well, if she can't be here, she can't," said Tom, as philosophically +as possible. "I'd better run over and bid her goodbye." + +This Tom did, though Ned noticed that his chum acted as though lonesome +on his return. + +"But when he gets to work testing his new chemical he'll be all right," +decided Ned. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A SUCCESSFUL TEST + + +"It took you long enough," Ned remarked as Tom entered the main office +of the plant, having been to see Mary off on her trip to Newmarket. +This was following his call of the night before to learn more +particulars of her unexpected visit. + +"Yes, I didn't plan to be gone so long," apologized Tom. "But I thought +while I was there I might as well go all the way with her." + +"And did you?" + +"Yes. In the electric runabout. I wanted to come back and get the +airship, but she said she wanted to look nice when she met her +relatives, and as yet airship travel is a bit mussy. Though when I get +my cabined cruiser of the clouds I'll guarantee not to ruffle a curl of +the daintiest girl!" + +"Getting poetical in your old age!" laughed Ned. "Well, here is that +statement you said you wanted me to get ready. Want to go over it now?" + +"No, I guess not, as long as you know it's all right. I'm going to +start right in and get ready for a bang-up test." + +"Of what--your new aerial fire fighting apparatus?" + +"Yes. Mr. Baxter and I are going to make up a lot of the chemical +compound that--we discovered through using it on the blazing tree--will +best do the trick. Then I'm going to try it on a pit fire, and after +that on a big blaze with an airship." + +"Let me know when you do," begged Ned. "I want to see you do it." + +"I'll send you word," promised the young inventor. + +Then he began several days and nights of hard work. And he was glad to +have the chance to occupy himself, for, though Tom professed not to be +much affected by the departure of Mary Nestor, he really was very +lonesome. + +"How is her uncle, Barton Keith, by the way?" asked Ned, when he called +on his chum one day, to find him reading a letter which needed but half +an eye to tell was from Mary. + +"About as usual," was the answer. "He sends word by Mary that he'll be +glad to see us any time we want to call. He has some nice offices in +the Landmark Building." + +"Those papers proving his right to the oil land, which you recovered +from the sunken ship for him, must have made his fortune." + +"Well, yes--that and other things," agreed Tom. "Say, we had some +exciting times on that undersea search, didn't we?" + +"Did you call on Mr. Keith when you went to Newmarket with Mary?" Ned +wanted to know, for he and Tom had taken quite a liking to Miss +Nestor's uncle. + +"No, I didn't get a chance. Besides, I wanted to keep away from the +Landmark Building." + +"Why?" + +"Oh, I might run into Field and Melling, and I don't want to see them +until I can accuse them, and prove it, of having taken Mr. Baxter's dye +formulae." + +"Oh, yes, they're in the same building with Mr. Keith, aren't they? Why +do they call it the Landmark? Though I suppose the answer is obvious." + +"Yes," assented Tom. "It's a big building--the tallest ever erected in +that city, and a fine structure. Though while they were about it I +don't see why they didn't make it fireproof." + +"Didn't they?" asked Ned, in surprise. "Then the insurance rates must +be unusually high, for the companies are beginning to realize how fire +departments, even in big cities, are hampered in fighting blazes above +the tenth or twelfth stories." + +"Yes, it was a mistake not to have the Landmark Building fireproof," +admitted Tom. "And Mr. Keith says the owners are beginning to realize +that now. It is what is called the 'slow burning' construction." + +"Insurance companies don't go much on that," declared Ned, who was in a +position to know. "Well, let us hope it never catches fire." + +These were busy days for the young inventor. He laid aside all his +other activities in order to perfect the plans for manufacturing his +new chemical fire extinguisher on a large scale. For Tom realized that +while a small quantity of chemicals in a compound might act in a +certain way on one occasion, if the bulk should happen to be increased +the experimenter could not always count on invariably the same results. + +There appeared to be at times a change engendered when a large quantity +of chemicals were mixed which was not manifest in a small and +experimental batch. + +So Tom wanted to mix up a big tank of his new chemical compound and see +if it would work in large quantities as well as it did with the small +amount Ned had dropped on the blazing tree. + +To this end Tom worked at night, as well as by day, and finally he +announced to Ned and Mr. Damon, who called one evening, that he +believed he had everything in readiness for an exhaustive test the next +day. + +"There's the stuff!" exclaimed Tom, not a little proudly, as he waved +his hand toward an immense carboy in the main shop. "That's what I hope +will do the trick. Just take a--" + +"Hold on! Stop! That's enough! Bless my hair brush!" cried Mr. Damon, +holding up a protesting hand. "If you take that cork out, Tom Swift, +you and I will cease to be friends!" + +"I wasn't going to open it," laughed the young inventor. "It has a +worse odor and seems to choke you more in a big quantity than when +there's only a little. I was just going to shake the carboy to let you +realize how full it was." + +"We'll take your word for it!" laughed Ned. "Now about your test. How +are you going to work it?" + +"There are to be two tests," answered Tom. "The first, and the smaller, +will be in the pit, as before, only this time we shall have what, I +believe, will be the successful combination of chemicals to drop on it. + +"The second test will be the main one. In that I plan to have an old +barn which I have bought set ablaze. Then Ned and I will sail over it +in the airship and drop chemicals on it. The barn will be filled with +empty boxes and barrels, to make as hot a fire as possible. You are +invited to accompany us, Mr. Damon." + +"Will there be any smell?" asked the eccentric man, who seemed to have +a dislike for anything that was not as agreeable as perfume. + +"No, the chemicals will be sealed in containers, which will be dropped +from my airship as bombs were dropped in the war," said Tom. + +"On those conditions I'll go along," agreed Mr. Damon. "But bless my +wedding certificate, Tom! don't tell my wife. She thinks I'm crazy +enough now, associating with you and flying occasionally. If she +thought I would help you battle with flames from the air she'd likely +never speak to me again." + +"I'll not tell," promised Tom, laughing. + +Preparations for the test went on rapidly. In the morning a fire was to +be started in the same pit where the experiment had partly failed +before. + +From the platform over the blazing hole some of the new combination of +chemicals was to be dropped. If it acted with success, as Tom believed +it would, he proposed to go on with the more important test in the +afternoon. + +To this end he had purchased from a farmer the right to set on fire an +old ramshackle barn, standing in the midst of a field about three miles +outside of Shopton. The barn was on an untilled farm, the house having +been destroyed some years before, and it was not near any other +structures, so that, even in a high wind, no damage would result. + +Tom had filled the barn with inflammable material, and was going to +spare no effort to have the test as exhaustive as possible. + +The time came for the preliminary trial, and there were a few anxious +moments after the oil-soaked boards and boxes in the pit were set +ablaze. + +"Let her go!" cried Tom to his man on the elevated platform, and down +fell the container of chemicals. It had no sooner struck and burst, +letting loose a mass of flame-choking vapor, than the fire died out. + +"You've struck it, Tom! You've struck it!" cried Ned. + +"It begins to look so," agreed the young inventor. "But I'll not call +myself out of the woods until this afternoon. Though we can consider it +a success so far." + +Quite a throng was on hand when the old barn was set ablaze. Tom and +Ned and Mr. Damon were there with the airship which had been especially +fitted to carry the bombs filled with the extinguisher. + +In order to insure a quick, hot blaze the barn was fired on all four +sides at once by Tom's men. When it was seen to be a veritable raging +furnace of fire, Tom and his two friends took their places in the +airship and rapidly mounted upward. + +Necessarily they had to circle off away from the blaze to get to the +necessary height, but Tom soon brought the airship around again and +headed for the black pall of smoke which marked the place of the +blazing barn. + +"We'll all three send down bombs at the same time," Tom told his +friends, as they darted forward. "When I give the word press the +levers, and the chemical containers will drop. Then we'll hope for the +best." + +Higher mounted the flames, and more fiercely raged the fire. The heat +of it penetrated even aloft, where Tom and his friends were scudding +along in the airship. + +"Now!" cried Tom, as his craft hovered for an instant in a favorable +position for dropping the bombs. The young inventor, Mr. Damon, and Ned +Newton pressed the levers. Looking over the sides of the craft, they +saw three dark objects dropping into the midst of the burning barn. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +OUT OF THE CLOUDS + + +Almost as though some giant hand had dropped an immense cloak over the +fire in the barn, so did the blaze die down instantly after Tom Swift's +extinguishing liquid had been dropped into the seething caldron of +flame. For a moment there was even no smoke, but as the embers remained +hot and glowing for a time, though the flames themselves were quenched, +a rolling vapor cloud began to ascend shortly after the first cessation +of the fire. But this only lasted a little while. + +"You've turned the trick, Tom!" cried Ned, leaning far over to look at +what was left of the barn and its contents. + +"Bless my insurance policy, I should say so!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "It +was certainly neat work, Tom!" + +"It does look as if I'd struck the right combination," admitted Tom, +and he felt justifiable pride in his achievement. + +"Look so! Why, hang it all, man, it is so!" declared Ned. "That fire +went out as if sent for by a special delivery telegram to give a +hurry-up performance in another locality. Look, there's hardly any +smoke even!" + +This was so, as the three occupants of the rapidly moving airship could +see when Tom circled back to pass again over the almost destroyed +structure. He had waited until it was almost consumed before dropping +his chemicals, as he wished to make the test hard and conclusive. Now +the fire was out except for a few small spots spouting up here and +there, away from the center of the blaze. + +"Yes, I guess she doesn't need a second dose," observed Tom, when he +saw how effective had been his treatment of the fire. "I had an +additional batch of chemicals on hand, in case they were needed," he +added, and he tapped some unused bombs at his feet. + +"I call this a pretty satisfactory test," declared Ned. "If you want to +form a stock company, Tom, and put your aerial fire-fighting apparatus +on the market, I'll guarantee to underwrite the securities." + +"Hardly that yet," said Tom, with a laugh. "Now that I have my chemical +combination perfected, or practically so, I've got to rig up an airship +that will be especially adapted for fighting fires in sky-scrapers." + +"What more do you want than this?" asked Ned, as his chum prepared to +descend in the speedy machine. + +"I want a little better bomb-releasing device, for one thing. This +worked all right. But I want one that is more nearly automatic. Then I +am going to put on a searchlight, so I can see where I am heading at +night." + +"Not your great big one!" cried Ned, recalling the immense electric +lantern that had so aided in capturing the Canadian smugglers. + +"No. But one patterned after that." Tom answered. + +"Bless my candlestick!" exclaimed Mr. Damon, "what do you want with a +searchlight at a fire, Tom? Isn't there light enough at a blaze, +anyhow?" + +"No," answered the young inventor, as he made his usual skillful +landing. "You know all the big city fire departments have searchlights +now for night work and where there is thick smoke. It may be that some +day, in fighting a sky-scraper blaze from the clouds at night, I'll +have need of more illumination than comes from the flames themselves." + +"Well, you ought to know. You've made a study of it," said Mr. Damon, +as he and Ned alighted with Tom, the latter receiving congratulations +from a number of his friends, including members of the Shopton fire +department who were present to witness the test. + +"Mighty clever piece of work, Tom Swift!" declared a deputy chief. "Of +course we won't have much use for any such apparatus here in Shopton, +as we haven't any big buildings. But in New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh +and other cities--why, it will be just what they need, to my way of +thinking." + +"And he needn't go so far from home," said Mr. Damon. "There is one +tall building over in Newmarket--the Landmark. I happen to own a little +stock in the corporation that put that up, along with other buildings, +and I'm going to have them adopt Tom Swift's aerial fire-fighting +apparatus." + +"Thank you. But you don't need to go to that trouble," asserted Tom. +"My idea isn't to have every sky-scraper equipped with an airship +extinguisher." + +"No? What then?" asked Mr. Damon. + +"Well, I think there ought to be one, or perhaps two, in a big city +like New York," Tom answered. "Perhaps one outfit would be enough, for +it isn't likely that there would be two big fires in the tall building +section at the same time, and an airship could easily cover the +distance between two widely separated blazes. But if I can perfect +this machine so it will be available for fires out of the reach of +apparatus on the ground, I'll be satisfied." + +"You'll do it, Tom, don't worry about that!" declared the deputy chief. +"I never saw a slicker piece of work than this!" + +And that was the verdict of all who had witnessed the performance. + +With the successful completion of this exacting test and the +knowledge that he had perfected the major part of his aerial +fire-extinguisher--the chemical combination--Tom Swift was now able to +devote his attention to the "frills" as Ned called them. That is, he +could work out a scheme for attaching a searchlight to his airship and +make better arrangements for a one-man control in releasing the +chemical containers into the heart of a big blaze. + +Tom Swift owned several airships, and he finally selected one of not +too great size, but very powerful, that would hold three and, if +necessary, four persons. This was rebuilt to enable a considerable +quantity of the fire-extinguishing liquid to be stored in the under +part of the somewhat limited cockpit. + +This much done, and while his men were making up a quantity of the +extinguisher, using the secret formula, and storing it in suitable +containers, Tom began attaching a searchlight to his "cloud +fire-engine," as Koku called it. + +The giant was aching to be with Tom and help in the new work, but Koku +was faithful to the blinded Eradicate, and remained almost constantly +with the old colored man. + +It was touching to see the two together, the giant trying, in his kind, +but imperfect way, to anticipate the wishes of the other, with whom he +had so often disputed and quarreled in days past. Now all that was +forgotten, and Koku gave up being with Tom to wait on Eradicate. + +While the colored man was, in fact, unable to see, following the +accident when Tom was experimenting with the fire extinguisher, it was +hoped that sight might be restored to one eye after an operation. This +operation had to be postponed until the eyes and wounds in the face +were sufficiently healed. + +Meanwhile Rad suffered as patiently as possible, and Koku shared his +loneliness in the sick room. Tom came to see Rad as often as he could, +and did everything possible to make his aged servant's lot happier. But +Rad wanted to be up and about, and it was pathetic to hear him ask +about the little tasks he had been wont to perform in the past. + +Rad was delighted to hear of Tom's success with the new apparatus, +after having been told how quickly the barn fire was put out. + +"Yo'--yo' jest wait twell I gits up, Massa Tom," said Rad. "Den Ah'll +help make all de contraptions on de airship." + +"All right, Rad, there'll be plenty for you to do when the time comes," +said the inventor. And he could not help a feeling of sadness as he +left the colored man's room. + +"I wonder if he is doomed to be blind the rest of his life," thought +Tom. "I hope not, for if he does it will be my fault for letting him +try to mix those chemicals." + +But, hoping for the best, Tom plunged into the work ahead of him. He +did not want to offer his aerial fire extinguisher to any large city +until he had perfected it, and he was now laboring to that end. + +One day, in midsummer, after weary days of toil, Tom took Ned out for a +ride in the machine which had been fitted up to carry a large supply of +the chemical mixture, a small but powerful searchlight, and other new +"wrinkles" as Tom called them, not going into details. + +"Any special object in view?" asked Ned, as Tom headed across country. +"Are you going to put out any more tree fires?" + +"No, I haven't that in mind," was the answer. "Though of course if we +come across a blaze, except a brush fire, I may put it out. I have the +bombs here," and Tom indicated the releasing lever. + +"What I want to try now is the stability of this with all I have on +board," he resumed. "If she is able to travel along, and behave as well +as she did before I made the changes, I'll know she is going to be all +right. I don't expect to put out any fires this trip." + +In testing the ship of the air Tom sent her up to a good height, +heading out over the open country and toward a lake on the shores of +which were a number of summer resorts. It was now the middle of the +season, and many campers, cottagers and hotel folk were scattered about +the wooded shore of the pretty and attractive body of water. + +Tom and Ned had a glimpse of the lake, dotted with many motor boats and +other craft, as the airship ascended until it was above the clouds. +Then, for a time, nothing could be seen by the occupants but masses of +feathery vapor. + +"She's working all right," decided Tom, when he found that he could +perform his usual aerial feats with his craft, laden as she was with +apparatus, as well as he had been able to do before she was so +burdened. "Guess we might as well go down, Ned. There isn't much more +to do, as far as I can see." + +Down out of the heights they swept at a rapid pace. A few moments later +they had burst through the film of clouds and once more the lake was +below them in clear view. + +Suddenly Ned pointed to something on the water and cried: + +"Look, Tom! Look! A motor boat in some kind of trouble! She's sinking!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +COALS OF FIRE + + +Tom Swift saw the craft almost as soon as did his chum. It was rather a +large-sized motor boat, quite some distance out from shore, and there +was no other craft near it at this time. From the quick, first view Tom +and Ned had of it, they decided that a party of excursionists were on a +pleasure trip. + +But that an accident had happened, and that trouble, if not, indeed, +danger, was imminent, was at once apparent to the young inventor and +the other occupant of the swiftly moving airship. + +For as Tom shut off his motor, to volplane down, thus reducing all +noise on his craft, they could dimly hear the shouts and calls for +help, coming from the water craft below them. + +"Help! Help!" came the impassioned appeals, floating up to Tom and Ned. + +"We're coming!" Tom answered, though it is doubtful if his voice was +heard. Sound does not seem to carry downward as well as upward, and +though Tom's craft was making scarcely any noise, save that caused by +the rush of wind through the struts and wires, there was so much +confusion on the motor boat, to say nothing of the engine which was +going, that Tom's encouraging call must have been unheard. + +"What are you going to do, Tom?" asked Ned, "You can't land on the +water!" + +"I know it; worse luck! If I only had the hydroplane, now, we could +make a thrilling rescue--land right beside the other boat and take 'em +all off. But, as it is, I'll have to land as near as I can and then we +will look for a boat to go out to them in." + +Ned saw, now, what Tom's object was. On one shore of the lake was a +large, level field, suitable for a landing place for the craft of the +air. At least it looked to be a suitable place, but Tom would be +obliged to take a chance on that. This field sloped down to the beach +of the lake, and as Ned and his chum came nearer to earth they could +see several boats on shore, though no persons were near them. Had there +been, probably they would have gone to the rescue. + +Tom cast a rapid look across the sheet of water, to make sure his +services were really needed. The motor boat was lower in the lake now, +and was, undoubtedly, sinking. And no other craft was near enough to +render help. Though distant whistles, seeming to come from approaching +craft, told of help on the way. + +"Hold fast, Ned!" cried Tom, as they neared the earth. "We may bump!" + +But Tom Swift was too skillful a pilot to cause his craft to sustain +much of a crash. He made an almost perfect "three point landing," and +there would have been no unusual shaking, except for the fact that the +field was a bit bumpy, and the craft more heavily laden than usual. + +"Good work, Tom!" cried Ned, as the Lucifer slackened her speed, the +young inventor having sent her around in a half circle so that she now +faced the lake. Then Tom and Ned climbed from the cockpit, throwing off +goggles and helmets as they ran to the shore where there were several +rowboats moored. + +"And a little old-fashioned naphtha launch! By all that's lucky!" cried +Tom. "I didn't think they made these any more. If she only works now!" + +There was a little dock at this point on the lake, and the boats +appeared to be held at it for hire. But no one was in charge, and Tom +and Ned made free with what they found. They considered they had this +right in the emergency. + +The naphtha launch was chained and padlocked to the dock, but using an +oar Tom burst the chain. + +"Get one of the rowboats and fasten it to the back of the launch!" Tom +directed Ned. "I don't believe this craft will hold them all," and he +nodded toward those aboard the sinking boat--for it was only too +plainly sinking now. + +"All right!" voiced Ned. "I'm with you. Can you get that engine to +work?" + +"She's humming now," announced Tom, as he turned on the naphtha, and +threw in a blazing match to ignite it, this act saving his hand. +Naphtha engines are a trifle treacherous. + +A few moments later, though not as quickly as a gasoline craft could +have been gotten under way, Tom was steering the small launch out and +away from the dock, and toward the craft whence came the faint calls +for help. Behind them Tom and Ned towed a large rowboat. + +Tom speeded the naphtha craft to its limit, and, fortunately for those +in danger, it was a fast boat. In less time than they had thought +possible, the young inventor and his chum were near the boat that was +now low in the water--so low, in fact, that her rail was all but awash. + +"Oh, take us out! Save us!" screamed some of the girls. + +"Take it easy now," advised Tom, approaching with care. "We've got room +for you all. Ned, get back in the rowboat and bring that alongside--on +the other side. We'll take you all in," he added. + +"Girls first!" called Ned sternly, as he saw one young fellow about to +scramble into the naphtha boat. + +"Sure, girls first!" agreed the skipper of the disabled craft. "Hit a +submerged log," he explained to Tom, as the work of rescue proceeded. +"Stove a hole in the bow, but we stuffed coats and things in, and made +it a slow leak. Kept the engine going as long as we could, but I +thought no one would ever come! Lucky you happened to see us from up +there!" + +"Yes," assented Tom shortly. He and Ned were too busy to talk much, as +they were aiding in getting some hysterical girls and young women into +the two sound craft. And when the last of the picnic party had been +taken off, the boat with a hole in it gave a sudden lurch, there was a +gurgling, bubbling sound, and she sank quickly. + +Tom and Ned had anticipated this, however, and had their craft well out +of the way of the suction. + +"You'll all have to sit quiet," Tom warned his passengers as he took +Ned's boat, with her load, in tow. "I've got about all the law allows +me to carry," he added grimly. + +"Oh, what ever would we have done without you?" half sobbed one girl. + +"I guess you could have managed to swim ashore," Tom answered, not +wanting to make too much of his effort. + +Then more rescue boats came up, but those in the naphtha craft, and +Ned's smaller one, refused to be transferred, and remained with our +friends until safely landed at the dock. + +Receiving the half-hysterical thanks of the party, and leaving them to +explain matters to the owner of the borrowed boats, Ned and Tom went +back to the Lucifer, and were soon aloft again. + +"Pretty slick act, Tom," remarked Ned. + +"Oh, it's all in the day's work," was the answer. He had all but +perfected his big fire-extinguishing aeroplane, and was contemplating +means by which he could give a demonstration to the fire department of +some big city, when Mr. Baxter asked to see Tom one day. There was a +look on the face of the chemist that caused Tom to exclaim with a good +deal of concern: + +"What's the matter?" + +"Only the same old trouble," was the discouraged answer. "I can't get +on the track of my lost secret formulae. If I had Field and Melling +here now I--I'd--" + +He did not finish his threat, but the look on his face was enough to +show his righteous anger. + +"I wish we could do something to those fellows!" exclaimed Tom +energetically. "If we only had some direct evidence against them!" + +"I've got evidence enough--in my own mind!" declared Mr. Baxter. + +"Unfortunately that doesn't do in law," returned Tom. "But now that I +have this airship firefighter craft so nearly finished, I can devote +more time to your troubles, Mr. Baxter." + +"Oh, I don't want you bothered over my troubles," said the chemist. +"You have enough of your own. But I'm at my wit's end what to do next." + +"If it is money matters," began Tom. + +"It's partly that, yes," said the other, in a low voice. "If I had +those dye formulae, I'd be a rich man." + +"Well, let me help you temporarily," begged Tom. And the upshot of the +talk was that he engaged Mr. Baxter to do certain research work in the +Swift laboratories until such time as the chemist could perfect certain +other inventions on which he was working. + +In return for his kindness to a fellow laborer, Tom received from Mr. +Baxter some valuable hints about fire-extinguishing chemicals, one +hint, alone, serving to bring about a curious situation. + +It was several days after the accident to the motor boat from which the +young inventor and Ned Newton had rescued the party of pleasure seekers +that Tom was visited by Mr. Damon, who drove over in his car. + +"Have you anything special to do, Tom?" asked the eccentric man. "If +you haven't I wish you'd take a ride with me. Not for mere pleasure! +Bless my excursion ticket, don't think that, Tom!" cried his friend +quickly. + +"I know better than to ask you out for a pleasure jaunt. But I have +become interested in a certain candy-making machine that a man over in +Newmarket is anxious to sell me a share in, and I'd like to get your +opinion. Can you run over?" + +"Yes," Tom answered. "As it happens I am going to Newmarket myself." + +"Oh, I forgot about Mary Nestor being there!" laughed Mr. Damon. "Sly +dog, Tom! Sly dog!" and he nudged the youth in the ribs. + +"It isn't altogether Mary. Though I am going to see her," Tom admitted. +"It has to do with a little apparatus I am getting up. I can capture +several birds in the same auto, so I'll go along." + +This pleased Mr. Damon, and he and Tom were soon speeding over the +road. It was just outside Newmarket that they saw an automobile stalled +at the foot of a hill which they topped. It needed but a glance to show +that there was serious trouble. As Mr. Damon's car went down the slope +two men could be seen leaping from the other machine. And, as they did +so, flames burst out of the rear of the stalled machine. + +"Fire! Fire!" cried Mr. Damon, rather needlessly it would seem, as any +one could see the blaze. + +"Another chance!" exclaimed Tom, reaching down between his feet for a +wrapped object he had placed in Mr. Damon's car. "It's Field and +Melling!" he cried. "The two men who boasted of having put it over on +Mr. Baxter. Their car is blazing. Here's where I get a chance to heap +coals of fire on their heads!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +VIOLENT THREATS + + +Tom Swift's companion in the automobile was sufficiently acquainted +with this old expression to understand readily what it meant. And as he +directed his car as close as was safe to the blazing car, Mr. Damon +asked: + +"Are you going to put out that fire for them, Tom?" + +"I'm going to try," was the grim answer. + +The young inventor was rapidly taking out of wrapping paper a metal +cylinder with a short nozzle on one end and a handle on the other. It +was, obviously, a hand fire extinguisher of a type familiar to all. + +"Wait Tom, I'll slow up a little more," said Mr. Damon, as he applied +the brakes with more force. "Bless my court plaster! don't jump and +injure yourself." + +But Tom Swift was sufficiently agile to leap from the automobile when +it was still making good speed. He did not want Mr. Damon to approach +too close to the burning car, for there might be an explosion. At the +same time, he rather discounted the risk to himself, for he ran right +in, while the two men, who had leaped from the blazing machine, hurried +to a safe distance. + +Tom held in readiness a small hand extinguisher. It was one he had +constructed from an old one found in the shop, but it contained some of +his own chemicals, the original solution having been used at some time +or other. It was the intention of the young inventor to put on the +market a house-size extinguisher after he had disposed of his big +airship invention. + +"Look out there! The gasoline tank may go up!" cried Field, the small +man with the big voice. + +Tom did not answer, but ran in as close as was necessary and began to +play a small stream from his hand extinguisher on the blazing car. He +was thus able to direct the white, frothy chemical better than when he +had shot it from the airship, and in a few seconds only some wisps of +curling smoke remained to tell of the presence of the fire. The +automobile was badly charred, but the damage was not past redemption. + +"Bless my check book! you did the trick, Tom," cried Mr. Damon, as he +alighted and came up to congratulate his companion. + +"Yes. But this wasn't much," Tom said. "I didn't use half the charge. +Short circuit?" he asked Field and Melling who were now returning, +having seen that the danger was passed. + +"I--I guess so," replied Melling, in his squeaky voice. "We--we are +much obliged to you." + +"No thanks necessary," said Tom, a bit shortly, as he turned to go back +with Mr. Damon to their car. "It's what any one would do under like +circumstances." + +"Only you did it very effectively," observed Field. + +Tom was wondering if they knew who he was and of his association with +Josephus Baxter. He did not believe the men recognized him as the +person who had been at the Meadow Inn one day with Mary. They had +hardly glanced at him then, he thought. + +"That's a mighty powerful extinguisher you have there, young man," said +Melling. "May I ask the make of it? We ought to carry one like it on +our car," he told his companion. + +"It is the Swift Aerial Fire Extinguisher," said Tom gravely, with a +glance at Mr. Damon. + +"The Swift--Tom Swift?" exclaimed Melling. "Do you mean--" + +"I am Tom Swift," put in the young inventor quickly. "And this is one +of my inventions. I might add," he said slowly, looking first Melling +and then Field full in the face, "that I was aided in perfecting the +chemical extinguisher by Josephus Baxter." + +The effect on the two men, whom Tom believed were scoundrels, was +marked. + +"Baxter!" cried Field. + +"Is he associated with you?" demanded Melling. + +"Not officially," Tom answered, delighted at the chance to "rub it in," +as he expressed it later. "I have been helping him, and he has been +helping me since he lost his dye formulae in--in your fire!" + +"Does he say he lost them in the fire of our factory?" demanded Field +aggressively. + +"He believes he did," asserted Tom. "I helped carry him out of the +laboratory of your place when he was almost dead from suffocation. He +remembers that he had the formulae then, but since has been unable to +find them." + +"He'd better be careful how he accuses us!" blustered Field, in his big +voice. + +"We could have the law on him for that!" squeaked the bigger Melling. + +"He hasn't accused you," said Tom easily. "He only says the formulae +disappeared during the fire in your place, and he is just wondering, +that is all--just wondering!" + +"Well, he--we, I--that is, we haven't anything from Baxter that we +didn't pay for," declared Field. "And if he goes about saying such +things he'd better be careful. I am going--" + +But he suddenly became silent as his companion's elbow nudged him. And +then Melling took up the talk, saying: + +"We're much obliged to you, Mr. Swift, for putting out the fire in our +car. But for you it would have been destroyed. And if you ever want to +sell the extinguisher process of yours, you'll find us in the market. +We are going into the dye business on a large scale, and we can always +use new chemical combinations." + +"My extinguisher is not for sale," said Tom dryly. "Come on, Mr. Damon. +We can take you into town, I suppose," Tom went on, looking at his +eccentric friend for confirmation, and finding it in a nod. "But I +doubt if we could tow you, as we are in a hurry, and--" + +"Oh, thank you, we'll look over our machine before we leave it," said +Melling. "It may be that we can get it to go." + +Tom doubted this, after a look at the charred section, but he easily +understood the dislike of the men, upon whose heads he had heaped coals +of fire, to ride with him and Mr. Damon. + +So Field and Melling were left standing in the road near their stranded +car, which, but for Tom Swift's prompt action, would have been only a +heap of ruins. + +Tom first visited the man who had a candy machine, in which the owner +wanted to interest Mr. Damon. After seeing a demonstration and giving +his opinion, he attended to his own affairs, in which his hand +extinguisher played a part. Then he called on Mary Nestor at her +relative's home. + +"Oh, but it's good to see you again, Tom!" cried Mary, after the first +greeting. "What have you been doing, and what's all that white stuff on +your coat?" + +"Fire extinguisher chemical," Tom answered, and he related what had +happened. + +"What's the matter with your aunt, Mary? She seems worried about +something," he said, after the aunt with whom Mary was staying had come +in, greeted Tom briefly, and gone out again. + +"Oh, she and Uncle Jasper are worried over money matters, I believe," +Mary said. "Uncle Jasper invested heavily in the Landmark Building +here, and now, I understand, it is discovered that it was put up in +violation of the building laws--something about not being fire-proof. +Uncle Jasper is likely to lose considerable money. + +"It isn't that it will make him so very poor," Mary went on. "But +Uncle Barton Keith--you remember you went on the undersea search with +him--Uncle Barton warned Uncle Jasper not to go into the Landmark +Building scheme." + +"And Uncle Jasper did, I take it," said Tom. + +"Yes. And now he's sorry, for not only may he lose money, but Uncle +Barton will laugh at him, and Uncle Jasper hates that worse than losing +a lot. But tell me about yourself, Tom. What have you been doing? And +is Eradicate going to get better?" + +"I hope so," Tom said. "As for me--" + +But he was interrupted by loud voices in the hall. He recognized the +tones of Mary's Uncle Jasper saying: + +"They're scoundrels, that's what they are! Just plain scoundrels! When +I accuse them of swindling me and others in that Landmark Building deal +they have the nerve to ask me to invest money in some secret dye +formulae they claim will revolutionize the industry! Bah! They're +scoundrels, that's what they are--Field and Melling are scoundrels, and +I'm going to have them arrested!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +A TOWN BLAZE + + +Mary's uncle, Jasper Blake, always an impetuous man, opened the door so +quickly that Tom, who was standing near it talking to Mary, barely had +time to move aside. + +"Oh, Tom, excuse me! Didn't see you!" bruskly went on Mr. Blake. "But +this thing has gotten on my nerves and I guess I'm a bit wrought up. + +"There isn't any guessing about it, Uncle Jasper," said Mary, with a +laugh and a look at Tom to warn him not to tell her relative that he +had just befriended Field and Melling. "For," as Mary said to Tom +later, "he would positively rave at you." + +Tom was wise enough to realize this, and so, after some laughing +reference to the effect that he would have to wear protective armor if +he stood near doors when Mary's uncle opened them so suddenly, the +conversation became general. + +"I hope you never get roped in as I have been," said Mr. Blake, as he +sat down. "Those scoundrels, Field and Melling, would rob a baby of his +first tooth if they had the chance!" + +"No, I am not likely to have anything to do with them; though I have +met them," and Tom gave Mary a glance. "But did I hear you say they are +embarking on a dye enterprise?" he asked. "I couldn't help overhearing +what you said in the hall," he explained. + +"That's the story they tell," said Uncle Jasper. "I was foolish enough +to invest in the Landmark Building, and now I'm likely to lose it all +in a lawsuit." + +"I mentioned it," said Mary. + +"And that isn't the worst," went on Mr. Blake. "But Barton--that's your +friend of the submarine--will give me the laugh, for he was asked to +invest in the same building, and didn't." + +"Oh, maybe it will all turn out right," said Tom consolingly. "My +friend Mr. Damon has a little stock in the same structure." + +"Nothing those two scoundrels have anything to do with will turn out +right," declared Mary's uncle. "And to think of their nerve when they +ask me to go in with them on a dye scheme!" + +"That's what interests me," said Tom. + +"Well, take my advice and don't become interested to the extent of +investing any money," warned Mr. Blake. "I'm not going to." + +"I didn't mean that way," said Tom. "But I happen to be acquainted with +an expert dye maker who lost some secret formulae during a fire in +Field and Melling's factory." + +"You don't say so!" cried Mr. Blake. "Tom Swift, there's something +wrong here! Let you and me talk this over. I begin to see how I may be +able to take a peep through the hole in the grindstone," a colloquial +expression which was as well understood by Tom as were some of Mr. +Damon's blessing remarks. + +"If you're going to talk business I think I'll excuse myself," said +Mary. + +"Don't go," urged Tom, but she said to him that she would see him +before he left, and then she went out, leaving her uncle and the young +inventor busily engaged in talking. + +But though Mr. Blake had certain suspicions regarding Field and +Melling, and though Tom Swift, too, believed they had something to do +with the disappearance of Baxter's secret formulae, it was another +matter to prove anything. + +Impetuous as he often was, Mr. Blake was for calling in the police at +once, and having the two men arrested. But Tom counseled delay. + +"Wait until we get more evidence against them," he urged. + +"But they may skip out!" objected Mary's uncle. + +"They won't with that Landmark Building on their hands," said the young +inventor. + +"Their hands! Huh! They'll take precious good care that the trouble and +responsibility of it are on other people's hands before they go," +declared Mr. Blake. "However, I suppose you're right. Barton Keith sets +a deal by your opinion since that undersea search, and while I don't +always agree with him, I do in this case. Especially since he is likely +to have the laugh on me." + +"Oh, I wouldn't count everything lost in that building deal," said Tom. +"A way may be found out of the trouble yet. But I must be getting back. +Dr. Henderson was to give a report today on the condition of +Eradicate's eyes, and I want to be there." + +"Mary was saying something about your faithful old retainer being in +trouble," said Mr. Blake. "I'm sorry to hear about it." + +"We are all sorry for poor Rad," replied Tom slowly. "I only hope he +gets his sight back. His last days will be very sad if he doesn't." + +Tom found Mary waiting for him after he had left her uncle, and, after +a short talk with her, he made ready to ride back with Mr. Damon, who, +after having attended to several other matters, was now outside in his +car. + +"When are you coming home, Mary?" Tom asked. + +"In a week or two," she answered. "I'll send word when I'm ready and +you can come and get me." + +"Delighted!" declared Tom. "Don't forget!" During the ride home the +young inventor was unusually silent, so much so that Mr. Damon finally +exclaimed: + +"Bless my phonograph, Tom Swift! but what is the matter? Has Mary +broken the engagement?" + +"Oh, no, nothing like that," was the answer. "Only I'm wondering about +Eradicate, and--other matters." + +Other matters had to do with what Mary's uncle had told Tom about the +interest manifested by Field and Melling in some dye industry. + +Tom's forebodings regarding his colored helper were nearly borne out, +for Dr. Henderson gloomily shook his head when asked for the verdict. + +"It's too early to say for a certainty," replied the medical man, "but +I am not as hopeful as I was, Tom, I'm sorry to say." + +"I'm sorry to hear it," returned Tom. "Is there anything we can do--any +hospital to which we can send him for special treatment?" + +"No, he is doing as well as he can be expected to right here. Besides, +he has his friends around him, and the companionship of that giant of +yours, absurd as it may seem, is really a tonic to Eradicate. I never +saw such devotion on the part of any one." + +"Koku has certainly changed," said Tom. "He and Rad used always to be +quarreling. But I guess that is all over," and Tom sighed. + +"Oh, I wouldn't say that," declared the medical man. "I haven't given +up, though there are some symptoms I do not like. However, I am going +to wait a week and then make another test." + +Tom knew that the week would be an anxious one for him, but, as it +developed, he had so much to do in the next few days that, for the time +being, he rather forgot about Eradicate. + +Field and Melling, he heard incidentally, had their machine towed to a +garage for repairs, but beyond that no word came from the two men. +Josephus Baxter remained at work over his dye formulae in one of Tom's +laboratories, but the young inventor did not see much of the +discouraged old man. + +Tom did not tell of the encounter with Field and Melling and of +extinguishing the fire in their car, for he knew it would only excite +Mr. Baxter, and do no good. + +It was within a few days of the time when Tom was to call in a +committee of fire insurance experts to give them a demonstration of the +efficiency of his aerial fire-fighting machine. He was putting the +finishing touches to his craft and its extinguishing-dropping devices +when he received a call from Mr. Baxter. + +"Well, how goes it?" asked Tom, trying to infuse some cheer into his +voice. + +"Not very well," was the answer. "I've tried, in every way I know, to +get on the track of the missing methods perfected by that Frenchman, +but I can't. I'd be a millionaire now, if I had that dye information." + +"Do you really think they have them--actually have the formulae?" asked +Tom. + +"I certainly do. And the reason I believe so is that I was over at a +chemical supply factory the other day when an order came in for a +quantity of a very rare chemical." + +"What has that to do with it?" asked Tom. + +"This chemical is an ingredient called for by one of the dye formulae +that were stolen from me. I never heard of its being used for anything +else. I at once became suspicious. I learned that this chemical had +been ordered sent to Field and Melling in their new offices in the +Landmark Building." + +"Maybe they intend to use it in making a new kind of fireworks," +suggested Tom. + +Mr. Baxter shook his head. + +"That chemical never would work in a skyrocket or Roman candle," he +said. "I'm sure they're trying to cheat me out of my dye formulae. If I +could only prove it!" + +"That's the trouble," agreed Tom. "But I'll give you all the help I +can. And, come to think of it, I believe you might interest Mr. Blake. +He has no love for Field and Melling, and he has several keen lawyers +on his staff. I believe it would be a good thing for you to talk to Mr. +Blake." + +"Please give me a letter of introduction to him," begged Mr. Baxter. +"What I need is legal talent and capital to fight these scoundrels. Mr. +Blake may supply both." + +"He may," agreed Tom. "I'll fix it so you can meet him. But what do you +think of this combination, Mr. Baxter? It is my very latest solution +for putting out fires. I'm loading an airship up with some of the bomb +containers now, and--" + +Tom's further remarks were interrupted by the noise of shouting and +tumult in the street, and a moment later yells could be heard of: + +"Fire! Fire! Fire!" + +"Another blaze!" exclaimed Mr. Baxter, raising the shades which had +been drawn, since night had fallen. + +"And not far away," said Tom, as he caught the reflection of a red +gleam in the sky. + +There was a ring at the front doorbell, and almost at once Ned Newton's +voice called: + +"Tom! Tom Swift! There's quite a fire in town! Don't you want to try +your new apparatus on it?" + +"The very chance!" exclaimed the young inventor. "Come on, Mr. Baxter. +There's room in the airship for you and Ned. I want you to see how my +chemical works!" + +Without waiting for a reply from the chemist, Tom caught him by the +hand and led him toward the side door that gave egress to the yard +where one of the airships was housed. Tom caught sight of Ned, who was +hastening toward him. + +"Big fire, Tom!" said the young manager again. "Fierce one!" + +"I'm going to try to put it out!" Tom answered. "Want to come?" + +"Sure thing!" answered Ned. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +FINISHING TOUCHES + + +Tom Swift and Ned Newton were so accustomed to acting quickly and in +emergencies that it did not take them long to run out the airship, +which Tom had in readiness, not especially for this emergency, but to +demonstrate his new apparatus to a committee of fire underwriters whom +he had invited to call in a few days. + +"Take this, if you will, Mr. Baxter!" cried Tom, giving the chemist a +metal container. "It's a little different combination from the +extinguisher I already have in the machine. Maybe I'll get a chance to +try it." + +"You're going to have all the chance you want, Tom, by the looks of +that blaze," commented Ned Newton. + +"It does look like quite a fire," observed Tom, as he gazed up at the +sky, where the reflection was turning to a brighter red. + +Outside in the streets near the Swift house and shops could be heard +the rattle of fire apparatus, the patter of running feet, and many +shouts from excited men and boys. + +"Any idea what it is, Ned?" asked Tom, as he motioned to Mr. Baxter to +climb into the aircraft. + +"Some one said it was the new Normal School. But that's farther to the +north," was Ned's answer. "By the way the blaze has increased since I +first saw it, I'd take it to be the lumberyard." + +"That would make a monster blaze!" observed Tom. "I don't believe I'll +have chemicals enough for that," and he looked at the rather small +supply in his craft. "However, I haven't time to get any more. Besides, +they'll have the regular department on the job, and this isn't a +skyscraper, anyhow." + +"No, we'll have to go to New York or Newmarket for one of those," +observed Ned. "All ready, Tom?" + +"All ready," said the young inventor, as Ned took his place beside Mr. +Baxter. + +"What's the matter, Tom?" asked the voice of Mr. Swift, as he came out +into the yard, having been attracted by the flashing lights and the +noise of the aircraft motor, as Tom gave it a preliminary test. + +"There's a fire in town," Tom answered. "I'm going to see if they need +my services." + +"Guess there isn't any question about that," said his business manager. + +Tom's father, who was suffering the infirmities of age, was in the +habit of retiring early, and he had dozed off in his chair directly +after supper, to be awakened by the shouting and confusion about the +place. + +"Take care of yourself, my boy!" he advised, as there came a moment of +silence before the throttle of the aircraft was opened to send it on +its upward journey. "Don't take too many risks." + +"I won't," Tom promised. "We'll be back soon." + +Then came the roar of the motor as Tom cut out the muffler to gain +speed and, a moment later, he and his two friends were sailing aloft +with a load of fire-extinguishing chemicals. + +Up and up rose the aircraft. It was not the first time Mr. Baxter had +enjoyed the sensation, but he was not enough of a veteran to be immune +to the thrills nor to be altogether void of fear. And it was his first +night trip. Still he gave few evidences of nervousness. + +"These she is!" cried Ned, for when the exhaust from the motor was sent +through the new muffler Tom had attached it was possible to talk aboard +the Lucifer. The young manager pointed down toward the earth, over +which the craft was then skimming, though at no great height. + +"It is the lumberyard!" exclaimed Mr. Baxter presently. + +"It sure is," assented Tom. "I know I haven't enough stuff to cover as +big a blaze as that, but I'll do my best. Fortunately there is no wind +to speak of," he added, as he guided the craft in the direction of the +fire. + +"What has that to do with it--I mean as far as the working of your +chemical extinguisher is concerned?" asked Mr. Baxter. "Can't you drop +the bomb containers accurately in a wind?" + +"Well, the wind has to be allowed for in dropping anything from an +aeroplane," Tom answered. "And, naturally, it does spoil your aim to an +extent. But the reason I'm glad there is no wind to speak of is that +the chemical blanket I hope to spread over the fire won't be so quickly +blown away." + +"Oh, I see," said Mr. Baxter. "Well, I'm glad that you will be able to +have a successful test of your invention." + +"The regular land apparatus is on hand," observed Ned, for they were +now so near the fire that they could look down and, in the reflection +from the blaze, could see engines, hose-wagons and hook and ladder +trucks arriving and deploying to different places of advantage, from +which to fight the lumberyard fire that was now a roaring furnace of +flames. + +"No skyscraper work needed here," observed Tom. "But it will give me a +chance to use the latest combination I worked out. I'll try that first. +Are you ready with it, Mr. Baxter?" + +"Yes," was the answer. + +The young inventor, not heeding the cries of wonder that arose from +below and paying no attention to the uplifted hands and arms pointing +to him, steered his craft to a corner of the yard where there was a +small isolated fire in a pile of boards. It was Tom's idea to try his +new chemical first on this spot to watch the effect. Then he would turn +loose all his other containers of the chemical mixture that had proved +so effective in other tests. + +Attention of those who had gathered to look at the fire was about +evenly divided between the efforts of the regular department and the +pending action by Tom Swift. The latter was not long in turning loose +his latest sensation. + +"Let it go!" he cried to Mr. Baxter, and down into the seething caldron +of flame dropped a thin sheet-iron container of powerful chemicals. +Leaning over the cockpit of the aircraft, the occupants watched the +effect. There was a slight explosion heard, even above the roar of the +flames, and the tongues of fire in the section where Tom's extinguisher +had fallen died down. + +"Good work!" cried Ned. + +"No!" answered Tom, shaking his head. "I was a little afraid of this. +Not enough carbon dioxide in this mixture. I'll stick to the one I +found most effective." For the flames, after momentarily dying down, +burst out again in the spot where he had dropped the bomb. + +Tom wheeled the airship in a sharp, banking turn, and headed for the +heart of the fire in the lumberyard. It was clearly getting beyond the +control of the regular department. + +"How about you, Ned?" called Tom, for he had given his chum charge of +dropping the regular bombs containing a large quantity of the +extinguisher Tom had practically adopted. + +"All ready," was the answer. + +"Let 'em go!" came the command, and down shot the dark, spherical +objects. They burst as they hit the ground or the piles of blazing +lumber, and at once the powerful gases generated by the mixture of +several different chemicals were released. + +Again the three in the airship leaned eagerly over the side of the +cockpit to watch the effect. It was almost magical in its action. + +The bombs had been dropped into the very fiercest heart of the fire, +and it was only an instant before their action was made manifest. + +"This will do the trick!" cried Ned. "I'm certain it will." + +"I didn't have much fear that it wouldn't," said Tom. "But I hoped the +other would be better, for it is a much cheaper mixture to make, and +that will count when you come to sell it to big cities." + +"But the fire is certainly dying down," declared Mr. Baxter. + +And this was true. As container after container of the bomb type fell +in different parts of the burning lumberyard, while Tom coursed above +it, the flames began to be smothered in various sections. + +And from the watching crowds, as well as from the hard-working members +of the Shopton fire department, came cheers of delight and +encouragement as they saw the work of Tom Swift's aerial fire-fighting +machine. + +For he had, most completely, subdued what threatened to be a great +fire, and when the last of his bombs had been dropped, so effective was +the blanket of fire-dampening gases spread around that the flames just +naturally expired, as it were. + +As Tom had said, the absence of wind was in his favor, for the +generated gases remained just where they were wanted, directly over the +fire like an extinguishing blanket, and were not blown aside as would +otherwise have been the case. + +And, by the peculiar manner in which his chemicals were mixed, Tom had +made them practically harmless for human beings to breathe. Though the +fire-killing gases were unpleasant, there was no danger to life in +them, and while several of the firemen made wry faces, and one or two +were slightly ill from being too close to the chemicals, no one was +seriously inconvenienced. + +"Well, I guess that's all," said Tom, when the final bomb had been +dropped. "That was the last of them, wasn't it, Ned?" + +"Yes, but you don't need any more. The fire's out--or what isn't can be +easily handled by the hose lines." + +"Good!" cried Tom. "But, all the same, I wish I had been able to make +the first mixture work." + +"Perhaps I can help you with that," suggested Mr. Baxter. + +And the following day, after Tom had received the thanks of the town +officials and of the fire department for his work in subduing the +lumberyard blaze, the young inventor called Josephus Baxter in +consultation. + +"I feel that I need your help," said the young inventor. "You have been +at this chemical study longer than I, and I am willing to pay you well +for your work. Of course I can't make up to you the loss of your dye +formulae. But while you are waiting for something to turn up in regard +to them, you may be glad to assist me." + +"I will, and without pay," said the chemist. + +But Tom would not hear of that, and together he and Mr. Baxter set +about putting the finishing touches to Tom's latest invention. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +ON THE TRAIL + + +"There, Tom Swift, it ought to work now!" + +Josephus Baxter held up a large laboratory test tube, in which seethed +and bubbled some strange mixture, turning from green to purple, then to +red, and next to a white, milky mixture. + +"Do you think you've hit on the right combination?" asked the young +inventor, whose latest idea, the plan of fighting fires in skyscrapers +from an airship as a vantage point, was taking up all his spare moments. + +"I'm positive of it," said Mr. Baxter. "I've dabbled in chemicals long +enough to be certain of this, even if I can't get on the track of the +missing dye formulae." + +"That certainly is too bad," declared Tom. "I wish I could help you as +much as you have helped me." + +"Oh, you have helped me a lot," said the chemist. "You have given me a +place to work, much better than the laboratory I had in the old +fireworks factory of Field and Melling. And you have paid me, more than +liberally, for what little I have done for you." + +"You've done a lot for me," declared Tom. "If it had not been for your +help this chemical compound would not be nearly as satisfactory as it +is, nor as cheap to manufacture, which is a big item." + +"Oh, you were on the right track," said Mr. Baxter. "You would have +stumbled on it yourself in a short time, I believe. But I will say, Tom +Swift, that, between us, we have made a compound that is absolutely +fatal to fires. Even a small quantity of it, dropped in the heart of a +large blaze, will stop combustion." + +"And that's what I want," declared Tom. "I think I shall go ahead now, +and proceed with the manufacture of the stuff on a large scale." + +"And what do you propose doing with it?" asked Mr. Baxter. + +"I'm going to sell the patent and the idea that goes with it to as many +large cities as I can," Tom answered. "I'll even manufacture the +airships that are needed to carry the stuff over the tops of blazing +skyscrapers, dropping it down. I'll supply complete aerial +fire-fighting plants." + +"And I think you'll do a good business," said the chemist. + +It was the conclusion of the final tests of an improved chemical +mixture, and the reaction that had taken place in the test tube was the +end of the experiment. Success was now again on the side of Tom Swift. + +But when that has been said there remains the fact that it was just the +other way with the unfortunate Mr. Baxter. + +Try as he had, he could not succeed in getting the right chemical +combination to perfect the dye process imparted to him by his late +French friend. With the disappearance of the secret formulae went the +good luck of Josephus Baxter. + +He had worked hard, taking advantage of Tom's generosity, to bring back +to his memory the proper manner of mixing certain ingredients, so that +permanent dyes of wondrous beauty in coloring would be evolved. But it +was all in vain. + +"I know who have those formulae," declared the chemist again and again. +"It is those scoundrels, Field and Melling. And they are planning to +build up their own dye business with what is mine by right!" + +And though Tom, also, believed this, there was no way of proving it. + +As the young inventor had said, he was now ready to put his own latest +invention on the market. After many tests, aided in some by Mr. Baxter, +a form of liquid fire extinguisher had been made that was superior to +any known, and much cheaper to manufacture. Veteran members of fire +departments in and about Shopton told Tom so. All that remained was to +demonstrate that it would be as effective on a large scale as it was on +a small one, and big cities, it was agreed, must, of necessity, add it +to their equipment. + +"Well, I think I'll give orders to start the works going," said Tom, at +the conclusion of the final test. "I have all the ingredients on hand +now, and all that remains is to combine them. My airship is all ready, +with the bomb-dropping device." + +"And I wish you all sorts of luck," said Mr. Baxter. "Now I am going to +have another go at my troubles. I have just thought of a possible new +way of combining two of the chemicals I need to use. It may be I shall +have success." + +"I hope so," murmured Tom. He was about to leave the room when Koku, +the giant, entered, with a letter in his hand. The big man showed some +signs of agitation, and Tom was at once apprehensive about Eradicate. + +"Is Rad--has anything happened--shall I get the doctor?" + +"Oh, Rad, him all right," answered Koku. "That is him not see yet, but +mebby soon. Only I have to chase boy, an' he make faces at me--boy +bring this," and the giant held out the envelope. + +"Oh!" exclaimed Tom, and he understood now. Messenger boys frequently +came to Tom's house or to the shops, and they took delight in poking +fun at Koku on account of his size, which made him slow in getting +about. The boys delighted to have him chase them, and something like +this had evidently just taken place, accounting for Koku's agitation. + +"This is for you, Mr. Baxter, not for me," said Tom, as he read the +name on the envelope. + +"For me!" exclaimed the chemist. "Who could be writing to me? It's a +big firm of dye manufacturers," he went on, as he caught a glimpse of +the superscription in the upper left hand corner. + +Quickly he read the contents of the epistle, and a moment later he gave +a joyful cry. + +"I'm on the trail! On the trail of those scoundrels at last!" exclaimed +Josephus Baxter. "This gives me just the evidence I needed! Now I'll +have them where I want them!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +A HEAVY LOAD + + +Josephus Baxter was so excited by the receipt of the letter which Koku +delivered to him that for some seconds Tom Swift could get nothing out +of him except the statement: + +"I'm on their trail! Now I'm on their trail!" + +"What do you mean?" Tom insisted. "Whose trail? What's it all about?" + +"It's about Field and Melling! That's who it's about!" exclaimed Mr. +Baxter, with a smothered exclamation. "Look, Tom Swift, this letter is +addressed to me from one of the biggest dye firms in the world--a firm +that is always looking for something new!" + +"But if you haven't anything new to give them, of what use is it?" Tom +asked, for he knew that the chemist had said his process, stolen, as he +claimed, by Field and Melling, was his only new project. + +"But I will have something new when I get those secret formulae away +from those scoundrels!" declared Mr. Baxter. + +"Yes, but how are you going to do it, when you can't even prove that +they have them?" asked Tom. + +"Ah, that's the point! Now I think I can prove it," declared Mr. +Baxter. "Look, Tom Swift! This letter is addressed to me in care of +Field and Melling at the office I used to have in their fireworks +factory." + +"The office from which you were rescued nearly dead," Tom added. + +"Exactly. The place where you saved me from a terrible death. Well, if +you will notice, this letter was written only two days ago. And it is +the first mail I have received as having been forwarded from that +address since the fire. I know other mail must have come for me, +though." + +"What became of it?" asked Tom. + +"Those scoundrels confiscated it!" declared the chemist. "But, in some +manner, perhaps through the error of a new clerk, this letter was +remailed to me here, and now I have it. It is of the utmost importance!" + +"In what way?" asked Tom. + +"Why, it is directed to me, outside and in, and it makes an inquiry +about the very dyes of the lost secret formulae, one dye in particular." + +"I don't quite understand yet," said Tom. + +"Well, it's this way," went on Mr. Baxter. "I had, in the office of +Field and Melling, all the papers telling exactly how to make the dyes. +After the fire, in which I was rendered unconscious, those papers +disappeared. + +"The only way in which any one could make the dyes in question was by +following the formulae given in those papers. And now here is a letter, +addressed to me from a big firm, asking my prices on a certain dye, +which can only be made by the process bequeathed to me by the +Frenchman." + +"Which means what?" asked Tom. + +"It means that Field and Melling must have been writing to this firm on +their own hook, offering to sell them some of this dye. But, in some +way, my name must have appeared on the letter or papers sent on by the +scoundrels, and this big firm replies to me direct, instead of to Field +and Melling! Even then I would not have benefited if they had +confiscated this letter as I am sure, they have done in the case of +others. But, by some slip, I get this. + +"And it proves, Tom Swift, that Field and Melling are in possession of +my dye formulae, and that they have tried to dispose of some of the dye +to this firm. Not knowing anything of this, the firm replies to me. So +now I have direct evidence--just what I wanted--and I can get on the +trail of the scoundrels who have cheated me of my rights." + +Tom looked at the letter which, it appeared, had been left with Koku by +a special delivery boy from the post office. It was an inquiry about +certain dyes, and was addressed to Mr. Baxter in care of Field and +Melling, the former fireworks firm, which now had started a big dye +plant, with offices in the Landmark Building in Newmarket. + +"It does look as though you might get at them through this," Tom said, +as he handed back the letter. "But I'm afraid you'll have to get +further evidence before you could convict them in a court of +law--you'll have to show that they actually have possession of your +formulae." + +"That's what I wish I could do," said the chemist, somewhat wistfully. +His first enthusiasm had been lessened. + +"I'll help you all I can," offered Tom. And events were soon to +transpire by which the young inventor was to render help to the chemist +in a most sensational manner. + +"Just now," Tom went on, "I must arrange about getting a large supply +of these chemicals made, and then plan for a test in some big city." + +"Yes, you have done enough for me," said Mr. Baxter. "But I think now, +with this letter as evidence, we'll be able to make a start." + +"I agree with you," Tom said. "Why don't you go over to see Mr. Damon? +He's a good business man, and perhaps he can advise you. You might +also call on that lawyer who does work for Mr. Keith and Mr. Blake. And +that reminds me I must call Mary Nestor up and find out when she is +coming home. I promised to fetch her in one of the airships." + +"I will go and see Mr. Damon," decided Mr. Baxter. "He always gives +good advice." + +"Even if he does bless everything he sees!" laughed Tom. "But if you're +going to see him I'll run you over. I'm going to Waterfield." + +"Thanks, I'll be glad to go with you," said the chemist. + +Mr. Damon was glad to see his friends, and, when he had listened to the +latest developments, he exclaimed with unusual emphasis: + +"Bless my law books, Mr. Baxter! but I do believe you're on the right +trail at last. Come in, and we'll talk this over." + +So Tom left them, traveling on to a distant city where he arranged for +a large supply of the chemicals he would need in his extinguisher. + +For several days Tom was so busy that he had little time to devote to +Mr. Baxter, or even to see him. He learned, however, that the chemist +and Mr. Damon were in frequent consultation, and the young inventor +hoped something would come of it. + +Tom's own plans were going well. He had let several large cities know +that he had something new in the way of a fire-fighting machine, and he +received several offers to demonstrate it. + +He closed with one of these, some distance off, and agreed to fly over +in his aircraft and extinguish a fire which was to be started in an old +building which had been condemned, and was to be destroyed. This was in +a city some four hundred miles away and when Ned Newton called on him +one afternoon he found Tom busily engaged in loading his sky-craft with +a heavy cargo of the newest liquid extinguisher. + +"You aren't taking any chances, are you, Tom?" asked Ned. + +"What do you mean?" + +"I mean you seem to have enough of the liquid 'fire-discourager' to +douse any blaze that was ever started." + +"No use sending a boy on a man's errand," said Tom. "I'm counting on +you to go with me, Ned--you and Mr. Baxter. We leave this afternoon for +Denton." + +"I'll be with you. Couldn't pass up a chance like that. But here comes +Koku, and it looks as if he had something on his mind." + +The giant did, indeed, seem to be laboring under the stress of some +emotion. + +"Oh, Master Tom!" the big man exclaimed when he had got the attention +of the young inventor. "Rad--he--he--" + +"Has anything happened?" asked Tom, quickly. "No, not yet. But dat pill +man--he say by tomorrow he know if Rad ever will see sunshine more!" + +"Oh, the doctor says he'll be able to decide about Rad's eyesight +tomorrow, does he?" + +"Yes. What so pill man say," repeated Koku. + +"Um," mused Tom, "I wish I were going to be here, but I don't see how I +can. I must give this test." But it was with a sinking heart as he +thought of poor Eradicate that the young inventor proceeded to pile +into his airship the largest and heaviest load of chemicals it had ever +carried. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE LIGHT IN THE SKY + + +"Well, what do you say, Tom?" asked Ned, in a low voice. + +"She's all right as far as I can see, though she may stagger a bit at +the take off." + +"It's a pretty heavy load," agreed the young manager, as he and Tom +Swift walked about the big fire-fighting airship Lucifer, which had +been rolled outside the hangar. "But still I think she'll take it, +especially since you've tuned up the motor so it's at least twenty per +cent. more powerful than it was." + +"Perhaps you'd better leave me out," suggested Mr. Baxter, who had been +helping the boys. "I'm not a feather weight, you know." + +"I need you with us," said Tom. "I want your expert opinion on the +effect the new chemicals have on the flames." + +"Well, I'd like to come," admitted the chemist, "for it will be a +valuable experience for me. But I don't want an accident up in the air." + +"Trust Tom Swift for that!" cried Ned. "If he says his aircraft will do +the trick, it positively will." + +"How about leaving me out?" asked Mr. Damon. "I'm not an expert in +anything, as far as I know." + +"You are in keeping us cheerful. And we may need you to bless things if +there's a slip-up anywhere," laughed Tom, for Mr. Damon had been +invited to be one of the party. + +"I don't so much mind a slip-up," said Mr. Damon, "as I do a slip down. +That's where it hurts! However, I'll take a chance with you, Tom Swift. +It won't be the first one--and I guess it won't be the last." + +The work of getting the big airship ready for what was to be a +conclusive test of her fire-fighting abilities from the clouds +proceeded rapidly. As has been related, Tom had perfected, with the +help of Mr. Baxter, a combination of chemicals which was effective in +putting out a fire when dropped into the blaze from above. Quantities +of this combination had been stored in metal containers which Tom had +at first styled "bombs," but which he now called "aerial grenades." + +The manner of dropping the grenades was, on the whole, similar to the +manner in which bombs were dropped from airships during the Great War, +but Tom had made several improvements in this plan. + +These improvements had to do with the releasing of the bombs, or, in +this case, grenades. It is not easy to drop or throw something from a +swiftly moving airship so that it will hit an object on the ground. +During the war aviators had to train for some time before becoming even +approximately accurate. + +Tom Swift decided that to leave this matter to chance or to the eye of +the occupant of an airship was too indefinite. Accordingly he invented +a machine, something like a range-finder for big guns. With this it was +a comparatively easy matter to drop a grenade at almost any designated +place. + +To accomplish this it was necessary to take into consideration the +speed of the airship, its height above the ground, the velocity of the +wind, the weight of the grenades, and other things of this sort. But by +an intricate mathematical process Tom solved the problem, so that it +was only necessary to set certain pointers and levers along a slide +rule in the cockpit of the craft. Then when the releasing catch was +pressed, the grenades would drop down just about where they were most +needed. + +"I think everything is ready," said Tom, when he had taken a last look +over his craft, making sure that all the chemical grenades were in +place. "If you will be ready, gentlemen, we will take our places and +start in about half an hour," he added. "I want to say goodbye to my +father, and cheer up Rad--if I can." + +"The doctor will know tomorrow, will he?" asked Mr. Damon. + +"Yes. And I'm sorry I will not be here to listen to the report," said +Tom. "Though I am almost afraid to receive it," he added in a low +voice. "I shall blame myself if Rad is to go through the remainder of +his life blind." + +"It couldn't be helped," said Ned. "We'll hope for the best." + +"Yes," agreed Tom, "that's all we can do--hope for the best. By the +way," he went on, turning to Mr. Baxter, "are you any nearer fastening +the guilt on those two rascals, Field and Melling?" + +"Bless my prosecuting attorney, no!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Those are +the slickest scoundrels I ever tackled! They're like a flea. Once you +think you have them where you want them, and they're on the other side +of the table, skipping around." + +"I've about given up," said Mr. Baxter, in discouraged tones. "I guess +my dye formulae are gone forever." + +"Don't say that!" exclaimed Tom. "Once I get this fire matter off my +hands, I'm going to tackle the problem myself. We'll either make those +fellows sorry they ever meddled in this matter, or we'll get up a new +combination of dyes that will put them out of business!" + +"Bless my Easter eggs, I'm glad to hear you talk that way!" cried Mr. +Damon. + +"Well, Rad, I'll expect to see you up and around when I get back," said +Tom to his old servant, as he stepped into the sick room to say goodbye. + +"Oh, is yo' goin', Massa Tom?" asked the colored man, turning his +bandaged head in the direction of the beloved voice. + +"Yes. I'm going to try out a new scheme of mine--the fire extinguisher, +you know." + +"De same one whut fizzed up, an'--an' busted me in de eyes, Massa Tom?" + +"Yes, Rad, I'm sorry to say, it's the same one." + +"Oh, shucks now, Massa Tom! whut's use worryin'?" laughed Rad. "I suah +will be all right when yo' gits back. De doctor man--de 'pill man' dat +giant calls him--says I'll suah be better." + +"Of course you will," declared Tom, but his heart sank when he saw Mrs. +Baggert remove the bandages and he caught sight of Rad's burned face +and the eyes that had to be kept closed if ever they were again to look +on the sunshine and flowers. "And when I come back, Rad, I'll stage a +little fire for your benefit, and show you how quickly I can put it +out." + +"Ha! dat's whut I wants to see, Massa Tom, I suah does like to see +fires!" chuckled Eradicate. "Mah ole mule, Boomerang--does yo' 'member +him, Massa Tom?" + +"Of course, Rad!" + +"Well, Boomerang he liked fires, too. Liked 'em so much I jest couldn't +git him past 'em lots ob times I But run 'long, Massa Tom. Yo' ain't +got no time to waste on an ole culled man whut's seen his best days. +Yas-sir, I reckon I'se seen mah best days," and the smile died from the +honest, black face. + +"Oh, don't talk like that!" cried Tom, as cheerfully as he could. +"You've got a lot of work in you yet, Rad. Hasn't he, Koku?" and the +young inventor appealed to the giant, who seldom left the side of his +former enemy. + +"Rad good man--him an' me do lots work--next week mebby," said Koku, +smiling very broadly. + +"That's the way to talk!" exclaimed Tom, and he laughed a little though +his heart was far from light. + +And then, having seen to the final details, he took his place in the +big airship with Ned, Mr. Damon and Josephus Baxter. The craft carried +the largest possible load of fire extinguishing chemicals. + +As Tom had feared, the Lucifer staggered a bit in "taking off" late +that afternoon when the start was made for the distant city of Denton, +where the first real test was to be made under the supervision and +criticism of the fire department. But once the craft was aloft she rode +on a level keel. + +"I guess we're all right," Tom said. But to make certain he circled +several times over his own landing field, that a good place to come +down might be assured if something unforeseen developed. + +However, all went well, and then the course was straightened for the +distant city. + +"We'll go right over Newmarket, sha'n't we, Tom?" asked Ned, as the +speed of the Lucifer increased. + +"Yes. And I wish I had time to stop and see Mary, but I haven't. It's +getting dark fast, and we ought to arrive at our destination early in +the morning. The test has been set by the committee for ten o'clock." + +They settled themselves comfortably in the big craft for a long night +trip, and Mr. Damon was just going to bless something or other when he +pointed off into the distance. + +"Look, Tom!" cried the eccentric man. "See that light in the sky!" + +"Seems to be a fire," observed Ned. + +"It is a fire!" shouted Mr. Baxter. "And it's in Newmarket, if I'm any +judge." + +Tom Swift did not answer, but he shoved forward the gasolene lever of +his controls, and the Lucifer shot ahead through the air while the red, +angry glow deepened in the evening sky. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +TRAPPED + + +While Tom Swift was loading the Lucifer for her trip and the fire +extinguishing test to occur the next morning, quite a different scene +was taking place in the home of Jasper Blake, the uncle of Mary Nestor, +where she had gone to spend a few weeks. + +"Well, are you all ready, Mary?" asked her aunt, and it was about the +same time that Ned Newton asked that same question of Tom Swift. Only +Tom was in Shopton, and Mary was in Newmarket, and Tom was setting off +on an air voyage, while Mary was only preparing to take a car downtown +to do some shopping. + +"Yes, Aunt, I'm all ready," Mary answered. "But I may be a bit late +getting home." + +"Why?" asked Mrs. Blake. + +"I promised Uncle Barton I'd stop and call on him at his office," Mary +replied. "He has something he wants me to take home to mother when I go +tomorrow." + +"I shall be sorry to see you go back," said Mrs. Blake. "But I imagine +there will be those in Shopton who will be glad to see you return, +Mary." + +"Yes, mother wrote that she and dad were getting a bit lonesome," the +girl casually replied, as she adjusted her veil. + +"Yes, and some one else. Ah, Mary, you are a very lucky girl!" laughed +her aunt, while Mary turned aside so she would not see her own blushes +in the mirror. + +"I thought Tom was going to call and take you home in his airship, +Mary," went on her relative. + +"So he is, I believe, on his way back from a city where he is going to +be tomorrow making a big fire test. I am to wait for him until tomorrow +afternoon. But now I really must go shopping, or all the bargains will +be taken. Is there any word you want to send to Uncle Barton?" + +"No," answered Mrs. Blake. "Though you might tell him to stop poking +fun at your Uncle Jasper for having invested money in the Landmark +Building. It's getting on your Uncle Jasper's nerves," she added. + +"Uncle Barton never can give up a joke, once he thinks he has one," +said Mary. "But I'll tell him to stop pestering Uncle Jasper." + +"Please do," urged Mary's aunt, and then the girl left. + +Mary's uncle, Barton Keith, with whom Tom Swift had been associated +during the undersea search, had offices in the Landmark Building, but +his home was in an adjoining suburb. + +The girl was pleased with the results of her shopping, and at the close +of the afternoon she stopped at the Landmark Building and was soon +being shot up in the elevator to the floor where Barton Keith had his +offices. + +Though Mr. Keith had refrained from investing in the Landmark Building +and though he laughed at Mary's Uncle Jasper for having done so, this +did not prevent him from having a suite of offices in the big structure +which, as we already know, was owned in large part by Field and Melling. + +"Ah, Mary! Come in!" exclaimed Mr. Keith, welcoming Tom Swift's +sweetheart. "It is so late I was afraid you weren't coming, and I was +about to close the office and go home." + +"You must blame the bargain sales for my delay," laughed Mary. "I hope +I haven't kept you waiting." + +"No, I still had a few things to do. One was to write a letter to your +Uncle Jasper, telling him I had heard of another fire trap that was +open to investors." + +"Oh, and that reminds me I must tell you not to push Uncle Jasper too +far!" warned Mary. + +"Ha! Ha!" laughed Uncle Barton. "He made fun of me for going on the +undersea search with Tom Swift. But I made good on that, and that's +more than he can say about his Landmark Building deal!" + +"But don't exasperate him too much!" begged Mary. "By the way, what are +they doing to this building? I see the stairways and some of the +elevator shafts all littered with building material." + +"They are trying to make it fireproof," answered her uncle. "It's +rather late to try that now, but they've got either to do it or stand a +big increase in insurance rates. I'm glad I'm out of it. But now, Mary, +take an easy chair until I finish some work, and then I'll walk out +with you." + +Mary took a seat near one of the front windows, whence she could look +down into the now fast-darkening streets. She could see the supper +crowds hurrying home, and out in the corridor of the big skyscraper +could be heard the banging of elevator doors as the office tenants, one +after another, left for the day. + +Suddenly there was more commotion than usual, followed by the sound of +broken glass. Then came a cry of: + +"Fire! Fire!" + +Mary sprang to her feet with a gasp of alarm, and her uncle rushed past +her to the door leading into the hall outside his offices. As he opened +the door a cloud of smoke rushed toward him and Mary, causing them to +choke and gasp. + +Mr. Keith closed the door a moment, and when he opened it again the +smoke in the hall seemed less dense. + +"It probably is only a slight blaze among some of the material the +workmen are using," he said. "Come, Mary, we'll get out." + +Pausing only to swing shut the door of his heavy safe and to stuff some +valuable papers into his pocket, Mr. Keith advanced and, taking Mary by +the arm, led her into the hall. The smoke was increasing again, and +distant shouts and cries could be heard, mingled with the breaking of +glass. + +Mr. Keith rang the elevator buzzer several times, but when no car came +up the shaft in response to his summons he turned to his niece and said: + +"We'll try the stairs. It's only ten stories down, and going down isn't +anything like coming up." + +"Oh, indeed I can walk!" said Mary. "Let's hurry out!" + +They turned toward the stairway, which wound around the elevator +shafts, but such a cloud of hot, stifling smoke rolled up that it sent +them back, choking and gasping for breath. + +And then, as they stood there, up the elevator shafts, which were +veritable chimneys, came more hot smoke, mingled with sparks of fire. + +"Trapped!" gasped Mr. Keith, and he pulled Mary back toward his offices +to get away from the choking, stifling smoke. "We're trapped!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +TO THE RESCUE + + +"Uncle! Uncle Barton!" faltered Mary, as she clung to Mr. Keith. "Can't +we get down the stairs?" + +"I'm afraid not, Mary," he answered, and he closed the door of his +office to keep out the smoke that was ever increasing. + +"And won't the elevators come for us?" + +"They don't seem able to get up," was his reply. "Probably the fire +started in the bottom of the shafts, and they act just like flues, +drawing up the flames and smoke." + +"Then we must try the fire escapes!" exclaimed Mary, and she started +toward the front window, pulling her uncle across the room after her. + +"Mary, there aren't--aren't any fire escapes!" he said hoarsely. + +"No fire escapes!" The girl turned paler than before. + +"No, not an escape as far as I know. You see, this was thought to be a +fireproof building at first and small attention was given to escapes. +Then the law stepped in and the owners were ordered to put up regular +escapes. They have started the work, but just now the old escapes have +been torn down and the new ones are not yet in place." + +"Oh, but Uncle Barton! can't we do something?" cried Mary. "There must +be some way out! Let's try the elevators again, or the stairs!" + +Before Mr. Keith could stop her Mary had opened the door into the hall. +To the agreeable surprise of her uncle there seemed to be less smoke +now. + +"We may have a chance!" he cried, and he rushed out. "Hurry!" + +Frantically he pushed the button that summoned the elevators. Down +below, in the elevator shafts, could be heard the roar and crackle of +flames. + +"Let's try the stairs!" suggested Mary. "They seem to be free now." + +She started down the staircase which went in square turns about the +battery of elevators, and her uncle followed. But they had not more +than reached the first landing when a roll of black, choking smoke, +mingled with sparks of fire, surged into their faces. + +"Back, Mary! Back!" cried Mr. Keith, and he dragged the impetuous girl +with him to their own corridor, and back into his offices which, for +the time being, were comparatively free from the choking vapor. + +"We must try the windows, Uncle Barton! We must!" cried Mary. "Surely +there is some way down--maybe by dropping from ledge to ledge!" + +Her uncle shook his head. Then he opened the window and looked out. As +he did so there arose from the streets below the cries of many voices, +mingled with the various sounds of fire apparatus--the whistles of +engines, the clang of gongs, and the puffing of steamers. + +"The firemen are here! They'll save us!" cried Mary, as she heard the +noises in the street below. "We can leap into the life nets." + +"There isn't a life net made, nor men who could retain it, to hold up a +person jumping from the tenth story," said her uncle. "Our only chance +is to wait for them to subdue the fire." + +"Isn't there a back way down, Uncle Barton?" "No, Mary!" He closed the +window for, open as it was, the draft created served to suck smoke into +the office, and Mary was coughing. + +Uncle and niece faced each other. Trapped indeed they were, unless the +fire, which was now raging all through the building, with the stairs +and elevator shafts as a center, could be subdued. That the city fire +department was doing its best was not to be doubted. + +"We can only wait--and hope," said Mr. Keith solemnly. + +Mary gave a gasp. Her uncle thought she was going to burst into tears, +but she bravely conquered herself and faced him with what was meant to +be a smile. But it is difficult to smile with quivering lips, and Mary +soon gave up the attempt. + +Mr. Keith went over to the water cooler--one of those inverted large +glass bottles--and looked to see how much water it contained. + +"It's nearly full," he said. + +"What good will it do?" asked Mary. "This fire is beyond a little water +like that." + +"Yes, but it will serve to keep our handkerchiefs wet so we can breathe +through them if the smoke gets too thick," was his reply. + +"It begins to look as if we'd need to try that soon," said Mary, and +she pointed to thick smoke curling in under the door. + +"Yes," agreed her uncle. "It's getting worse." Hardly had he spoken +when there came a rush of feet in the corridor outside his office door. +Then a voice exclaimed: + +"We're trapped! We can't get down either the stairs or the elevators!" + +"It can't be possible!" said another voice. "Something must be done! +Help! Help! Take us out of here!" + +"Foolish cowards!" murmured Mr. Keith, and then the door of his office +was violently opened and two men rushed in. They were strangers to Mary +and her uncle. + +"Isn't there any way out of this fire trap?" cried one of the men. "Are +there any fire escapes at your windows?" + +"None," said Mr. Keith. + +"This is all your fault, Melling!" cried the smaller of the two men, +whose voice, in loudness and depth of pitch, was out of all proportion +to his size. "All your fault! I told you we should have those new fire +escapes!" + +"And you were the one, Field, who objected to the cost of fire escapes +when you found what the charge would be," retorted the other. "You said +we didn't need to waste that money, if the building was fire-proof." + +"But it isn't, Melling! It isn't!" yelled the other. + +"We're finding that out too late!" came the retort. "But I'm not going +to die here like a rat in a trap!" And he raised the window and leaned +out and yelled, "Help! Help! Help!" + +"Don't do that," said Mr. Keith, coming over to close the casement. +"They can't hear you down below, and opening the window will only fill +this place with smoke. Are you Field and Melling?" + +"Yes, of the Consolidated Dye Company," was the answer from the big +man. "We are also part owners of this building, but I wish we weren't." + +"It is a pretty poor specimen of a modern building," said Mr. Keith. +"You have offices here, haven't you?" he went on. "I remember to have +seen your names on the directory." + +"We're on the floor above," was the answer from Field. "We were in a +rear room, going over some accounts, and we didn't know anything was +wrong until we smelled smoke. We tried to get down, and managed to +come, by way of the stairs, as far as this floor," he explained quickly. + +"You can't go any farther," said Mr. Keith. "All there is to do is to +wait for the firemen." + +"Suppose they never come?" whined Melling. "Oh, they'll come!" asserted +Mary's uncle, but he spoke more to quiet her alarm than because he +really believed it, for the Landmark Building was a seething furnace of +flame centering in and about the elevator shafts and stairs. + +Meanwhile Tom and his companions in the airship had seen the red glow +in the evening sky, and in another minute the young inventor had turned +his craft more directly toward it. + +"It surely is in Newmarket," said Mr. Damon. "Right in the center of +the city, too. There's one big building there--the Landmark." + +"Looks as if that was afire," said Ned quickly. "Hasn't some relative +of Mary's an office there, Tom?" + +"Yes. Mr. Keith. And her other uncle, Jasper Blake, is also interested +in the building. It's the Landmark all right!" cried Tom, as his craft +rose higher and advanced nearer the blaze. + +"What are you going to do?" yelled Mr. Damon, as he saw the young +inventor head directly toward a spouting mushroom of flame, which +showed that the fire had broken through the roof. "What are you going +to do?" + +"Go to the rescue!" answered Tom Swift. "I couldn't ask a better +opportunity to try my new extinguisher! Sit tight, every one!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +A STRANGE DISCOVERY + + +Once it became evident to the occupants of the airship what Tom Swift's +plans were, they all prepared to help him. Previous to the trip certain +duties had been assigned to each one, duties which were to be exercised +when Tom gave the exhibition of his new aerial fire-fighting apparatus +at the set fire before the fire department of Denton. + +This preparation now stood the young inventor in good stead, for there +was no confusion aboard the Lucifer when she winged her way toward the +burning Landmark Building, where the flames were continually spouting +higher and higher as they rushed through the roof, directly above the +stairway well and elevator shafts. + +So far the flames had confined themselves to this central part of the +big structure, but it was only a question of time when they would +spread out on all sides, licking up the remainder of the pile. And, for +the most part, the firemen on the ground were at a great disadvantage. + +They had run in lines as near as they could get to the center of the +blaze, and had also attached hose to the standpipes inside the +building. But this last effort was wasted, as developed later, for +there was no one in the building to direct the nozzle ends of the hose +attached to the standpipes on the different floors. Also the fierce +heat fairly melted the pipes themselves in the vicinity of the elevator +shafts, and there was no automatic sprinkling system in the building. + +This was the situation, then, when Tom in his airship loaded with +fire-extinguishing chemicals headed for the blaze. And this, also, was +the desperate situation that confronted Mary Nestor and her uncle, +Barton Keith, as well as Amos Field and Jason Melling. Those +unscrupulous and cowardly men were in a veritable panic of fear, which +contrasted strangely with the calm, resigned attitude of Mary and her +uncle. + +"We must get out! Some one must save us!" yelled Field. + +"Jump from the window!" cried Melling. + +"No, I can't permit that!" declared Mr. Keith, standing in their path. +"It would be sure death! As it is, there may be a chance." + +"A chance? How?" asked Field. "Listen to that!" + +Through the closed door of Mr. Keith's office could be heard the roar +and crackle of flames, while the very air was now stifling and hot, +filled with acrid smoke. + +"We can only wait," said Mr. Keith, and he wet Mary's handkerchief in +the water and handed it to her to bind over her face. + +"Is everything all right, Ned?" called Tom, as he turned on a little +more power, so that the Lucifer lunged ahead toward the great pillar of +fire that now reddened the sky for miles around. + +"All ready," was the answer. "You only have to give the word when you +want us to let go." + +"Let go!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my umbrella, Tom! We don't have to +jump out, do we?" + +"He means to let go the extinguisher grenades," said Mr. Baxter. "Shall +we let them all go at once, Tom?" asked the chemist. + +"No, drop half when I shoot over the first time. We'll see what effect +they have, and then come back with the rest." + +"That's the idea!" cried Ned. "Well, give us the word when you're +ready, Tom." + +"I will," was the answer of the young inventor, and with keen eyes he +began to set the automatic gages so those in charge of the grenades +would be able to drop them most effectively. + +The flames were mounting higher and higher above the ill-fated Landmark +Building. It was a "land-mark" now, for miles around--a fearsome mark, +indeed. + +"I hope every one is out of the place," said Ned, as the airship +approached nearer and the fierceness of the fire was more manifest. + +"Bless my thermometer, you're right!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "I don't see +how any one could live in that furnace." + +Seen from above it appeared that the fire was engulfing the whole +building, while, as a matter of fact, only the central portion was yet +blazing. But it was only a question of time when the remainder would +ignite. + +And it was to this fact--that the fire was rushing up the stairway and +elevator shafts as up a chimney--that Mary and her uncle, as well as +Field and Melling, owed their temporary safety. + +Had Tom known that the girl he loved was in such direful danger, it is +doubtful if his hand would have been as steady as it was on throttle +and steering wheel. But not a muscle or nerve quivered. To Tom it was +but carrying out a prearranged task. He was going to extinguish a great +blaze, or attempt to do so, by means of his aerial fire-fighting +apparatus. And his previous tests had given him confidence in his +device. His one regret was that the fire department of the city that +was contemplating the purchase of certain rights in his invention could +not witness what he was about to do. + +"But they'll hear of it," declared Ned, when Tom voiced this idea to +his chum. + +Nearer and nearer to the up-spouting column of flames the airship +winged her way. Tense and alert, Tom sat at the wheel guiding his craft +with her load of fire-defying chemicals. Behind him were Ned, Mr. Damon +and Mr. Baxter, ready to drop the grenades at the word. + +"Getting close, Tom!" called Ned, as they could all feel the heat of +the conflagration in the Landmark Building, which now seemed doomed. + +"You'll not dare cross it too low down, will you?" + +"No, I'll have to keep pretty well up," was the answer. "There's a +current of air over that fire which might turn us turtle." + +Heat creates a draft, sucking in colder air from below, and making an +upward-rushing column which, in the case of a big blaze, is very +powerful. Tom knew he had to avoid this. + +It was now almost time to act. In another few seconds they would be +sailing directly into the path of the up-spouting flames. Realizing +that to do this at too low an elevation would result in disaster, Tom +sent his craft upward at a sharp angle. Then he turned to call to his +companions. + +"Be ready when I give the word!" + +"All set and ready!" answered Ned, and the others signified their +attention to the command that soon was to be given. + +Having attained what he considered a sufficient elevation, Tom headed +the Lucifer straight toward the up-spouting column of fire and smoke. +If ever his craft of the air was to justify her name it was now! + +Straight and true as an arrow she headed for the fiery pillar! Hotter +and hotter grew the air! The darkness of the night was lighted by the +awful fire, which rendered objects in the street clear and distinct. +But Tom and his friends had little time for such observation. + +"Get ready!" cried the young inventor, as he felt a rush of heat across +his face, partly protected, as it was, by great goggles. + +"All ready!" shouted Ned. + +"Let go!" cried Tom, and with a click of springs the fire extinguishers +dropped from the bottom of the Lucifer into the very heart of the +flames in the Landmark Building. + +There was a blast as from a furnace seventy times heated, a choking and +gasping for breath on the part of the occupants of the airship, a +shriveling, as it seemed, of the naked flesh, and then, when it +appeared that all of them must be engulfed in the great heat, the +airship passed out of the zone of fire. + +A rush of cool air followed, reviving them all, and then, when out of +the swirls of smoke, Ned, looking back, cried: + +"Good work, Tom! Good work!" + +"Did we hit it?" cried the young inventor. "She's half gone!" declared +Mr. Baxter. "Can you give her the rest of the load?" + +"I'm going to try!" declared Tom. + +"Bless my bank balance!" shouted Mr. Damon, "are we going through that +awful furnace again?" + +"It will not be so bad this time," observed Ned. "The fire is half out +now. Tom's stuff did the trick!" + +Indeed it was evident, as Tom sent the Lucifer around in a sharp turn, +that the fire had been largely smothered by the gas that now lay over +it like a wet blanket. But there was still some fire spouting up. + +"Give her all we have!" yelled Tom, as, once more, he prepared to cross +the zone of fire. + +"Right," sang out Ned. + +Once more the Lucifer swept over the burning building. Down shot the +remaining grenades, falling into the mass of flames and bursting, +though the reports could not be heard because of the tumult in the +streets below. For the firemen and spectators had seen the sudden dying +down of the fire, they had caught sight of a shadowy shape in the +night, hovering over the blazing building, and they wondered what it +all meant. + +"How is it?" asked Tom, as he guided the craft back to get a view of +his work. + +"That settles it!" answered Ned. "There isn't fire enough now to broil +a beefsteak!" + +This was not exactly true, for the blaze was not entirely subdued. But +the flames had all been killed off in the higher parts of the Landmark +Building, and what remained could easily be dealt with by the firemen +on the ground. They proceeded to make short work of the remainder of +the conflagration, the while wondering who had so effectively aided +them from the clouds. + +"Well," observed Tom, as he saw how effectively he had smothered the +great fire, "it's of no use to go on now. I haven't an ounce of +chemical left on board. I can't give the demonstration that I planned +for tomorrow." + +"You've given a better demonstration here than you ever could have in +the other city," declared Mr. Baxter. "I fancy this will be all the +test needed, Tom Swift!" + +"Perhaps. I hope so. But we may as well land and see from the ground +the effect of our work. I'd also like to inquire if any one was hurt. +Let's go down." + +It was rather ticklish work, making a landing in the midst of a +populous city, and at night. But as it happened, there had been a +number of buildings razed in the vicinity of the Landmark structure, +and there was a large, vacant level space. Also several of the city's +fire department searchlights were focused around the burning structure, +and when it became evident that an airship was going to land--though as +yet none guessed whose it was--the searchlights were turned on the +vacant spot and Tom was able to make a good landing, his own powerful +searchlight giving effective aid. + +"What did you do that put out the fire?" demanded the chief of the +Newmarket department, as he rushed up with a crowd of others when Tom +and his friends alighted. + +"I dropped a few grenades down that chimney," modestly answered the +young inventor. + +"A few grenades! Say, you must have turned a whole river of them +loose!" cried the delighted chief. "It doused the fire quicker than I +ever saw one put out in all my life!" + +"I'm glad I was successful," said Tom. "But was any one in the +building?" + +"Yes, a few," answered a policeman, who was trying to keep the crowd +back from the airship. "They're bringing them out now." + +"Killed?" gasped Tom. + +"No. But some of them are badly hurt," the officer answered. "There +was one young lady and a man named Barton Keith--" + +"Barton Keith!" shouted Tom, springing forward. "Was he--Who was the +young lady? I--I--" + +But at that moment there was a stir in the crowd about the building, in +which only a little fire flow remained, and through the throng came a +disheveled and smoke-blackened young lady and a man whose clothing was +also greatly disarrayed. + +"Mary!" cried the young inventor. + +"Tom!" gasped Mary Nestor. "How did you get here?" + +"I came to put out the fire," was the answer, and Tom cooled down now +that he saw Mary was unharmed. "How did you happen to be in the +building?" + +"I was in Uncle Barton's office when the fire broke out," answered +Mary, "and we were trapped. We had to stay there, with two men from the +floor above." + +"Yes, and if they had stayed with us they wouldn't have been hurt," +said Mr. Keith. "But, as it was, they rushed out and tried to get down +the stairs. They were caught in the draft and badly burned, I believe. +They are bringing them out now." + +Two stretchers, on which lay inert forms, were borne through the now +silent crowd by firemen and police officers, and taken to waiting +ambulances. + +"That's Field and Melling," said Mr. Keith to Tom. "They had offices +just above me, and they were trapped, as were Mary and I. They acted +like big cowards, too, though I hope they're not badly hurt. We stayed +inside my office, and we were just giving up the hope of rescue when +the fire seemed suddenly to die down." + +"I should say it was sudden!" cried the enthusiastic local chief. "It +was the chemicals from this young man's airship that did the trick!" + +"Oh, Tom, was it your new machine?" asked Mary. + +"Yes," was the answer. "I was on my way to give a test tomorrow in +Denton when I saw this fire. I didn't know you were in it, though, +Mary." + +"Oh, but I'm glad you came," she said. "It was just--awful!" and she +clung to Tom's arm, trembling. + +When Field and Melling, whose rash conduct had caused them to be +severely but not fatally burned, had been taken to a hospital and the +fire was declared to be practically out, Tom made arrangements to leave +his airship in the city field all night. + +"And you and your friends can come to Uncle Jasper's house," said Mary. + +"Of course!" said Uncle Jasper himself, who had arrived on the scene, +attracted to the fire by the news that his niece and Mr. Keith were in +danger. "Lots of room! Come along! We'll celebrate your rescue." + +So the crew of the fire-fighting Lucifer went with Mary, while the +firemen, after again thanking Tom most enthusiastically, kept on +playing, as a precaution, their streams of water on the still hot +building. + +Only the central portion of the structure, the stairs and elevator +shafts, were burned away. The strong upward draft had kept the fire +from spreading much to either side. + +"It certainly was a fierce blaze, and I'm glad my chemicals took such +prompt effect," said Tom. "I shall not fear any test after this." + +It was the day following the night of excitement, and Tom and his +friends, at the invitation of the fire department of Newmarket, were +inspecting what was left of the Landmark Building--and there was +considerable left--though access to the upper floors was to be had only +by ladders, down which Mary and her uncle, Barton Keith, had been +carried. + +"Here are my offices," said Mr. Keith, who accompanied Tom, Ned, Mr. +Damon and Mr. Baxter, as he ushered them into his suite of rooms. + +"Bless my fountain pen! nothing is burned here," cried the eccentric +man. + +"No, the flames just shot upward," explained the fire chief, who was +leading the party. "But I think those chemicals of yours would have +been just as effective, Mr. Swift, if the fire had mushroomed out more." + +"It was hot enough as it was," answered Tom, with a grim laugh. + +"Bless my thermometer, too hot--too hot by far!" exclaimed Tom Swift's +eccentric friend, and to this Ned nodded an amused agreement. + +An exclamation from Mr. Baxter attracted the attention of all in Mr. +Keith's office. The chemist picked up from the floor a bundle of papers. + +"Here is a bundle of documents that some one has dropped, Mr. Keith," +he said. "I guess you forgot to put it in your safe. Why--why--no--they +aren't yours! They're mine. Here are my missing dye formulae! The secret +papers I've been searching for so long! The ones I thought Field and +Melling had!" cried Mr. Baxter. "How--how did they get here?" and, +wonderingly, he looked at the bundle of papers he had discovered in such +a strange manner. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE LIGHT OF DAY + + +"What's that? Your dye formulae here in my office?" cried Mr. Keith, +for he had heard something of the chemist's loss, though he did not +directly associate Field and Melling with it. + +"That's what this is! The very papers, containing all the rare secrets, +for which I have been so at a loss!" cried the delighted old man. "Now +I can give to the world the dyes for which it has long been waiting! +Oh, Tom Swift, you did more than you knew when you put out this fire!" +and he hugged the bundle of smoke-smelling papers to his breast. + +"But how did they get here?" asked the young inventor. "I know that +Field and Melling had offices in this building. They were starting a +new dye concern, and, though Mr. Baxter and I suspected them of having +stolen his secret, we couldn't prove it." + +"But we can now!" cried Mr. Baxter. "Though I don't know that I'll +bother even to accuse them, as long as I have back my previous papers. +I see how it happened. They had the formulae in their office. They +rushed out with the documents, and, when they found they couldn't get +past this floor, they went into Mr. Keith's office. There, in their +excitement, they dropped the papers, and you put the fire out just in +time, Tom, or they'd have been burned beyond hope of saving. You have +given me back something almost as valuable as life, Tom Swift!" + +"I'm glad I could render you that service," said the young inventor. +"And I had no idea, when I dropped the chemicals, that I was saving +someone even more valuable than your secret formulae," and they all +knew he referred to Mary Nestor. + +An examination of the papers found on Mr. Keith's office floor showed +that not one of the dye secrets was missing. Thus Mr. Baxter came into +possession of his own again, and when Field and Melling were +sufficiently recovered they were charged with the theft of the papers. +The charge was proved, and, in addition, other accusations were brought +against them which insured their remainder in jail for a considerable +period. + +As Mr. Baxter had suspected, Field and Melling had, indeed, robbed him +of his dye formulae papers. They learned that he possessed them, and +they invited him to a night conference with the purpose of robbing him. +The fire in their factory was an accident, of which they took advantage +to make it appear that the chemist lost his papers in the blaze. But +they had taken them, and though they did not mean to leave poor Baxter +to his fate, that would have been the result of their selfish action +had not Tom and Ned come to the rescue. And it was of this "putting +over" that Field and Melling had boasted, the time Tom overheard their +talk at Meadow Inn. + +As Mr. Baxter guessed, the letter delivered to him at Tom's place was +one that the two scoundrels would have retained, as they had others +like it, if they had seen it. But a new clerk forwarded it, and the +evidence it contained helped to convict Field and Melling. + +As for the Landmark Building, while badly damaged, it would have been +worse burned but for Tom's prompt action. And though he was more than +glad that he had been on hand, he rather regretted that he could not +give the test for which he had set out. + +Eventually the building was made more nearly fire-proof and the +fire-escapes were rebuilt, and Mr. Blake did not lose his money, as he +had feared, though Barton Keith said it was more owing to Tom Swift's +good luck than to Mr. Blake's management. + +But, as it developed, nothing could have been more opportune than Tom's +action, for word of his quenching a bigger blaze than he would have had +to encounter in the official test reached the Denton fire department. +As a result there was a conference, and, after only a nominal showing +of his apparatus, it was adopted by a unanimous vote. + +But this occurred some time afterward, for, following his rescue of +Mary Nestor and her uncle and the saving of the lives of Field and +Melling, as well as others in the building, by his prompt smothering of +the fire, Tom returned to Shopton. + +He and his companions went in the Lucifer, minus, now, the big load of +chemicals, and on landing near the hangar Tom was surprised to see Koku +the giant running toward him. The big man showed every symptom of great +excitement as he cried: + +"Oh, Master Tom! He see the light ob day! he see the light ob day now! +Oh, so glad! So glad!" + +"Who sees the light of day?" asked the young inventor. + +"Black Rad! Eradicate! Him eyes all better now! Pill man take off +cloth. Rad--he see light ob day!" + +"Oh, I'm so glad! So thankful!" cried Tom. "How I've wished for this! +Is it really true, Koku?" + +"Sure true! Pill man say Rad see K O now." The giant, doubtless, meant +"O K," but Tom understood. And it was true, as he learned more directly +a little later. + +When Tom entered the room where Rad had been kept in the dark ever +since the explosion, the colored man looked at his master with seeing +eyes, though the apartment was still but dimly lighted. + +"I's all right ag'in now, Massa Tom!" cried Rad. "See fine! I's all +ready to make more smellin' stuff to put out fires!" + +"You won't have to, Rad!" cried Tom joyfully. "My chemical extinguisher +is completed, and you did your share in making it a success. But I +never would have felt like claiming credit for it if you had been--had +been left in the dark." + +"No mo' dark, Massa Tom!" said Eradicate. "I kin see now as good as +eber, an' yo'-all won't hab to 'pend on dat lazy good-fo'-nuffin +cocoanut!" and he chuckled as he looked at the giant. + +"Huh! Lazy!" retorted the big man. "I show you--black coon!" + +"By golly!" laughed Rad. "Him an' me good friends now, Massa Tom. Neber +I fuss wif Koku any mo'! He suah was good to me when I had to stay in +de dark!" + +Of course it would be too much to hope that Koku and Eradicate never +again quarreled, but for a long time their warm friendship was a thing +at which to marvel, considering the past. + +"Well, I guess this settles it," said Tom to Ned one day, after going +over the day's mail. + +"Settles what, Tom?" + +"My aerial fire-fighting apparatus. Here's word from the National Fire +Underwriters Association that they have adopted it, and there will be a +big reduction of rates in all cities where it is a part of the fire +department equipment. It's been as great a success as Mr. Baxter's new +dye." + +"Yes, and he has had wonderful success with that. But what are you +going to do now, Tom? What new line of endeavor are you going to aim +at?" + +Tom arose and reached for his hat. + +"I am now going," he said, with a grin, "to see somebody on private +business." + +"You are going to see Mary Nestor!" broke out Ned. + +"I am," said Tom. + +And he did. + + + + + + +THE TOM SWIFT SERIES + +By VICTOR APPLETON + +Uniform Style of Binding. Individual Colored Wrappers. Every Volume +Complete in Itself. + +Every boy possesses some form of inventive genius. Tom Swift is a +bright, ingenious boy and his inventions and adventures make the most +interesting kind of reading. + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP + TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE + TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS + TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE + TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER + TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON + TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AERIAL WARSHIP + TOM SWIFT AND HIS BIG TUNNEL + TOM SWIFT IN THE LAND OF WONDERS + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WAR TANK + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR SCOUT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS UNDERSEA SEARCH + TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE + TOM SWIFT AND HIS FLYING BOAT + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT OIL GUSHER + TOM SWIFT AND HIS CHEST OF SECRETS + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRLINE EXPRESS + + + + +THE DON STURDY SERIES + +By VICTOR APPLETON + +Individual Colored Wrappers and Text Illustrations by WALTER S. ROGERS +Every Volume Complete in Itself. + +In company with his uncles, one a mighty hunter and the other a noted +scientist, Don Sturdy travels far and wide, gaining much useful +knowledge and meeting many thrilling adventures. + +DON STURDY ON THE DESERT OF MYSTERY; + +An engrossing tale of the Sahara Desert, of encounters with wild +animals and crafty Arabs. + +DON STURDY WITH THE BIG SNAKE HUNTERS; + +Don's uncle, the hunter, took an order for some of the biggest snakes +to be found in South America--to be delivered alive! + +DON STURDY IN THE TOMBS OF GOLD; + +A fascinating tale of exploration and adventure in the Valley of Kings +in Egypt. + +DON STURDY ACROSS THE NORTH POLE; + +A great polar blizzard nearly wrecks the airship of the explorers. + +DON STURDY IN THE LAND OF VOLCANOES; + +An absorbing tale of adventures among the volcanoes of Alaska. + +DON STURDY IN THE PORT OF LOST SHIPS; + +This story is just full of exciting and fearful experiences on the sea. + +DON STURDY AMONG THE GORILLAS; + +A thrilling story of adventure in darkest Africa. Don is carried over a +mighty waterfall into the heart of gorilla land. + + + + +THE RADIO BOYS SERIES (Trademark Registered) + +By ALLEN CHAPMAN + +Author of the "Railroad Series," Etc. + +Individual Colored Wrappers. Illustrated. Every Volume Complete in +itself. + + +A new series for boys giving full details of radio work, both in +sending and receiving--telling how small and large amateur sets can be +made and operated, and how some boys got a lot of fun and adventure out +of what they did. Each volume from first to last is so thoroughly +fascinating, so strictly up-to-date and accurate, we feel sure all lads +will peruse them with great delight. + +Each volume has a Foreword by Jack Binns, the well-known radio expert. + + THE RADIO BOYS' FIRST WIRELESS + THE RADIO BOYS AT OCEAN POINT + THE RADIO BOYS AT THE SENDING STATION + THE RADIO BOYS AT MOUNTAIN PASS + THE RADIO BOYS TRAILING A VOICE + THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE FOREST RANGERS + THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE ICEBERG PATROL + THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE FLOOD FIGHTERS + THE RADIO BOYS ON SIGNAL ISLAND + THE RADIO BOYS IN GOLD VALLEY + + + +THE RAILROAD SERIES + +By ALLEN CHAPMAN + +Author of the "Radio Boys," Etc. + +Uniform Style of Binding, illustrated. Every Volume Complete in Itself. + +In this line of books there is revealed the whole workings of a great +American railroad system. There are adventures in abundance--railroad +wrecks, dashes through forest fires, the pursuit of a "wildcat" +locomotive, the disappearance of a pay car with a large sum of money on +board--but there is much more than this--the intense rivalry among +railroads and railroad men, the working out of running schedules, the +getting through "on time" in spite of all obstacles, and the manipulation +of railroad securities by evil men who wish to rule or ruin. + +RALPH OF THE ROUND HOUSE; + Or, Bound to Become a Railroad Man. + +RALPH IN THE SWITCH TOWER; + Or, Clearing the Track. + +RALPH ON THE ENGINE; + Or, The Young Fireman of the Limited Mail. + +RALPH ON THE OVERLAND EXPRESS; + Or, The Trials and Triumphs of a Young Engineer. + +RALPH, THE TRAIN DISPATCHER; + Or, the Mystery of the Pay Car. + +RALPH ON THE ARMY TRAIN; + Or, The Young Railroader's Most Daring Exploit. + +RALPH ON THE MIDNIGHT FLYER; + Or, The Wreck at Shadow Valley. + +RALPH AND THE MISSING MAIL POUCH; + Or, The Stolen Government Bonds. + + + + +THE RIDDLE CLUB BOOKS + By ALICE DALE HARDY + +Individual Colored Wrappers. Attractively Illustrated. Every Volume +Complete in Itself. + +Here is as ingenious a series of books for little folks as has ever +appeared since "Alice in Wonderland." The idea of the Riddle books is a +little group of children--three girls and three boys decide to form a +riddle club. Each book is full of the adventures and doings of these +six youngsters, but as an added attraction each book is filled with a +lot of the best riddles you ever heard. + +THE RIDDLE CLUB AT HOME + +An absorbing tale that all boys and girls will enjoy reading. How the +members of the club fixed up a clubroom in the Larue barn, and how +they, later on, helped solve a most mysterious happening, and how one +of the members won a valuable prize, is told in a manner to please +every young reader. + +THE RIDDLE CLUB IN CAMP + +The club members went into camp on the edge of a beautiful lake. Here +they had rousing good times swimming, boating and around the campfire. +They fell in with a mysterious old man known as The Hermit of Triangle +Island. Nobody knew his real name or where he came from until the +propounding of a riddle solved these perplexing questions. + +THE RIDDLE CLUB THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS + +This volume takes in a great number of winter sports, including skating +and sledding and the building of a huge snowman. It also gives the +particulars of how the club treasurer lost the dues entrusted to his +care and what the melting of the great snowman revealed. + +THE RIDDLE CLUB AT SUNRISE BEACH + +This volume tells how the club journeyed to the seashore and how they +not only kept up their riddles but likewise had good times on the sand +and on the water. Once they got lost in a fog and are marooned on an +island. Here they made a discovery that greatly pleased the folks at +home. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Tom Swift among the Fire Fighters, by +Victor Appleton + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS *** + +***** This file should be named 1363.txt or 1363.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/6/1363/ + +Produced by Anthony Matonac + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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