第20章

"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 unfortunateman 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 takeoff 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 stufffrom 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 thanpays 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 ahurry.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 theflames that made Tom and Ned step back.

Would success or failure attend the young inventor's project?