From then on Tom had passed a busy life, making many machines and having some thrilling times with them.Just previous to the opening of this story Tom had made a peculiar instrument, described in the volume entitled "Tom Swift and His Photo- Telephone." With that a person talking could not only see the features of the person with whom he was conversing, but, by means of a selenium plate and a sort of camera, a permanent picture could be taken of the person at either end of the wire.
By means of this invention Tom had been able to make a picture that had saved a fortune.But Tom did not stop there.With him to invent was as natural and necessary as breathing.He simply could not stop it.And so we find him now about to show to his chum, Ned Newton, his latest patent, an aerial warship, which, however, was not the success Tom had hoped for.
But just at present other matters than the warship were in Tom's mind.The red shed was on fire.
That mere statement might not mean anything special to the ordinary person, but to Tom, his father, and those who knew about his shops, it meant much.
"The red shed!" Tom cried."We mustn't let that get the best of us! Everybody at work! Father, not you, though.You mustn't excite yourself!" Even in the midst of the alarm Tom thought of his father, for the aged man had a weak heart, and had on one occasion nearly expired, beingsaved just in time by the arrival of a doctor, whom Tom brought to the scene after a wonderful race through the air.
"But, Tom, I can help," objected the aged inventor.
"Now, you just take care of yourself, Father!" Tom cried."There are enough of us to look after this fire, I think.""But, Tom, it--it's the red shed!" gasped Mr.Swift.
"I realize that, Dad.But it can't have much of a start yet.Is the alarm ringing, Koku?""Yes, Master," replied the giant, in correct but stilted English."I have set the indicator to signal the alarm in every shop on the premises.""That's right." Tom sprang toward the door."Eradicate!" he called."Yais, sah! Heah I is!" answered the colored man."I'll go git mah mule,Boomerang, right away, an' he--"
"Don't you bring Boomerang on the scene!" Tom yelled."When I want that shed kicked apart I can do it better than by using a mule's heels.And you know you can't do a thing with Boomerang when he sees fire.""Now dat's so, Massa Tom.But I could put blinkers on him, an'--" "No, you let Boomerang stay where he is.Come on, Ned.We'll seewhat we can do.Mr.Damon--"
"Yes, Tom, I'm right here," answered the peculiar man, for he had come over from his home in Waterford to pay a visit to his friends, Tom and Mr.Swift."I'll do anything I can to help you, Tom, bless my necktie!" he went on."Only say the word!""We've got to get some of the stuff out of the place!" Tom cried."We may be able to save it, but I can't take a chance on putting out the fire and letting some of the things in there go up in smoke.Come on!"Those in the shed where was housed what Tom hoped would prove to be a successful aerial warship rushed to the open.From the other shops and buildings nearby were pouring men and boys, for the Swift plant employed a number of hands now.
Above the shouts and yells, above the crackle of flames, could be heard the clanging of the alarm bell, set ringing by Koku, who had pulled the signal in the airship shed.From there it had gone to every building in the plant, being relayed by the telephone operator, whose duty it was tolook after that.
"My, you've got a big enough fire-fighting force, Tom!" cried Ned in his chum's ear.
"Yes, I guess we can master it, if it hasn't gotten the best of us.Say, it's going some, though!"Tom pointed to where a shed, painted red--a sign of danger-- could be seen partly enveloped in smoke, amid the black clouds of which shot out red tongues of flame.
"What have you got it painted red for?" Ned asked pantingly, as they ran on.
"Because--" Tom began, but the rest of the sentence was lost in a yell.
Tom had caught sight of Eradicate and the giant, Koku, unreeling from a central standpipe a long line of hose.
"Don't take that!" Tom cried."Don't use that hose! Drop it!" "What's the matter? Is it rotten?" Ned wanted to know.
"No, but if they pull it out the water will be turned on automatically." "Well, isn't that what you want at a fire--water?" Ned demanded.
"Not at this fire," was Tom's answer."There's a lot of calcium carbide in that red shed--that's why it's red--to warn the men of danger.You know what happens when water gets on carbide--there's an explosion, and there's enough carbide in that shed to send the whole works sky high.
"Drop that hose!" yelled Tom in louder tones."Drop it, Rad-- Koku! Do you want to kill us all!"
