h! The fire is in the hold where all our stuff
is stored, and if the flames reach that box I packed last--well, I
wouldn't give much for the ship!" and fairly dragging his chum
along, Tom raced for the place where the smoke was now coming up in
thicker clouds.

CHAPTER VIII

A NARROW ESCAPE

"Here, come back! You can't go past here!"

"But I've got to go! I tell you I must go! It's important!"

The first speaker was one of the ship's officers, and the other was
Tom Swift, who, accompanied by his chum, was trying to get past a
rope that had been hastily stretched in front of the hold where the
smoke was rolling up in ever-thickening clouds.

"It's important that you stay where you are," insisted the officer.
"Look here young man, do you want to start a panic? You know what
that is on board ship. Keep cool, we'll get the fire out all right."

"I am cool," responded Tom, and, though he did look a bit excited,
he was calm enough to know what he was doing.

"Then keep back!" insisted the officer.

A crowd was gathering and there were ominous whispers sent back and
forth. Some hysterical women were beginning to scream, and there
were anxious looks on all faces.

"I tell you it's important that I go down there," insisted Tom. "I
want to get a box--"

"We'll look after the baggage of the passengers," declared the
officer. "You don't need to worry, young man."

"But I tell you I do!" and Tom's voice was loud now. "It isn't so
much on my account, as--" and then, stepping quickly to the side of
the officer he whispered something.

"What!" cried the officer. "You don't tell me? That was a risk! I
guess I'll have to help you get it out. Here, Mr. Simm," he called
to one of the mates, "stand guard here. I'm going down into the hold
with this young man."

"Shall I come?" cried Ned.

"No, you go stay with Mr. Damon and Eradicate," answered Tom. "Tell
them everything is all right. And for cats' sake keep Rad cool.
Don't let him get excited and start a panic. I'll be back in a
minute."

With that Tom and the officer disappeared from view, and Ned, after
wondering what it was all about, hastened to reassure Mr. Damon and
the colored man that there was no danger, though from the manner in
which Tom had acted his chum was convinced that something was wrong.

Meanwhile our hero, accompanied by the officer, was groping his way
through the thick smoke in the compartment. The officer had switched
on the electric