vices."

"Guess there isn't any question about that," said his business manager.

Tom's father, who was suffering the infirmities of age, was in the
habit of retiring 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 came the roar of the motor as Tom cut out the muffler to gain
speed and, a moment later, he and his two friends were sailing aloft
with a load of fire-extinguishing chemicals.

Up and up rose the aircraft. It was not the first time Mr. Baxter had
enjoyed the sensation, but he was not enough of a veteran to be immune
to the thrills nor to be altogether 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 from the motor was sent
through the new muffler Tom had attached it was possible to talk aboard
the Lucifer. The young manager pointed down toward the earth, over
which the craft was then skimming, though at no great height.

"It is the lumberyard!" exclaimed Mr. Baxter presently.

"It sure is," assented Tom. "I know I haven't enough stuff to cover as
big 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 mean as far as the working of your
chemical extinguisher 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 aim to an
extent. But the reason I'm glad there is no wind to speak of is that
the chemical blanket I hope to spread over the fire won't be so quickly
blown away."

"Oh, I see," said Mr. Baxter. "Well, I'm glad 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
from the blaze, could see engines, hose-wagons and hook and ladder
trucks arriving and deploying to different places of advantage, from
which to fight the lumberyard fire that was no