Part 7 (2/2)
”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 ive 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 Toh to enable ain?”
”It wouldn't do any harested 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 froreeted 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 theof wooden ware, an industry that, for solad to see you, Mr Swift,” said the cheed several years in the feeeks that had intervened since the fire
”I want to thank you for giving ht,” said Toht 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 froo ahead faster As it is, I aiven 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 ues! They had been at h to tell theet 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 e called for, Mr Baxter, is to find if you have roo here I auisher, to be dropped on tall buildings froood idea,” said the chemist, rather dreamily
”Well, I have the airshi+p, and I can seea device to drop the chemicals in metal tanks or bombs,” went on Tom