Part 22 (1/2)
”There's a fire in town,” To to see if they need my services”
”Guess there isn't any question about that,” said his businessthe infir 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 caain speed and, aaloft with a load of fire-extinguishi+ng chemicals
Up and up rose the aircraft It was not the first tih of a veteran to be iether 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 froh the new muffler Tom had attached it was possible to talk aboard the Lucifer The young er pointed doard the earth, over which the craft was then skiht
”It is the lumberyard!” exclaimed Mr Baxter presently
”It sure is,” assented To 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 uisher 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 ailad there is no wind to speak of is that the chemical blanket I hope to spread over the fire won't be so quickly bloay”
”Oh, I see,” said Mr Baxter ”Well, I'lad 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 froons and hook and ladder trucks arriving and deploying to different places of advantage, fro furnace of flames
”No skyscraper work needed here,” observed Toive 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 fro no attention to the uplifted hands and ar 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 depart action by To 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 che over the cockpit of the aircraft, the occupants watched the effect There was a slight explosion heard, even above the roar of the flauisher had fallen died down
”Good work!” cried Ned