第14章

"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 fireextinguishers, 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 withMary 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!"'