been lessened.

"I'll help you all I can," offered Tom. And events were soon to
transpire by which the young inventor was to render help to the chemist
in a most sensational manner.

"Just now," Tom went on, "I must arrange about getting a large supply
of these chemicals made, and then plan for a test in some big city."

"Yes, you have done enough for me," said Mr. Baxter. "But I think now,
with this letter as evidence, we'll be able to make a start."

"I agree with you," Tom said. "Why don't you go over to see Mr. Damon?
He's a good business man, and perhaps he can advise you. You might
also call on that lawyer who does work for Mr. Keith and Mr. Blake. And
that reminds me I must call Mary Nestor up and find out when she is
coming home. I promised to fetch her in one of the airships."

"I will go and see Mr. Damon," decided Mr. Baxter. "He always gives
good advice."

"Even if he does bless everything he sees!" laughed Tom. "But if you're
going to see him I'll run you over. I'm going to Waterfield."

"Thanks, I'll be glad to go with you," said the chemist.

Mr. Damon was glad to see his friends, and, when he had listened to the
latest developments, he exclaimed with unusual emphasis:

"Bless my law books, Mr. Baxter! but I do believe you're on the right
trail at last. Come in, and we'll talk this over."

So Tom left them, traveling on to a distant city where he arranged for
a large supply of the chemicals he would need in his extinguisher.

For several days Tom was so busy that he had little time to devote to
Mr. Baxter, or even to see him. He learned, however, that the chemist
and Mr. Damon were in frequent consultation, and the young inventor
hoped something would come of it.

Tom's own plans were going well. He had let several large cities know
that he had something new in the way of a fire-fighting machine, and he
received several offers to demonstrate it.

He closed with one of these, some distance off, and agreed to fly over
in his aircraft and extinguish a fire which was to be started in an old
building which had been condemned, and was to be destroyed. This was in
a city some four hundred miles away and when Ned Newton called on him
one afternoon he found Tom busily engaged in loading his sky-craft with
a heavy cargo of the newest liquid extinguisher.

"You aren't taking any chances, are you, Tom?" asked Ned.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you seem to have enough of the liquid 'fire-discourage