CHAPTER XIX
ON THE TRAIL
"There, Tom Swift, it ought to work now!"
Josephus Baxter held up a large laboratory test tube, in which seethedand bubbled some strange mixture, turning from green to purple, then tored, and next to a white, milky mixture.
"Do you think you've hit on the right combination?" asked the younginventor, whose latest idea, the plan of fighting fires in skyscrapersfrom an airship as a vantage point, was taking up all his spare moments.
"I'm positive of it," said Mr. Baxter. "I've dabbled in chemicals longenough to be certain of this, even if I can't get on the track of themissing dye formulae."
"That certainly is too bad," declared Tom. "I wish I could help you asmuch as you have helped me."
"Oh, you have helped me a lot," said the chemist. "You have given me aplace to work, much better than the laboratory I had in the oldfireworks factory of Field and Melling. And you have paid me, more thanliberally, for what little I have done for you."
"You've done a lot for me," declared Tom. "If it had not been for yourhelp this chemical compound would not be nearly as satisfactory as itis, nor as cheap to manufacture, which is a big item."
"Oh, you were on the right track," said Mr. Baxter. "You would havestumbled on it yourself in a short time, I believe. But I will say, TomSwift, that, between us, we have made a compound that is absolutelyfatal to fires. Even a small quantity of it, dropped in the heart of alarge blaze, will stop combustion."
"And that's what I want," declared Tom. "I think I shall go ahead now,and proceed with the manufacture of the stuff on a large scale."
"And what do you propose doing with it?" asked Mr. Baxter.
"I'm going to sell the patent and the idea that goes with it to as manylarge cities as I can," Tom answered. "I'll even manufacture theairships that are needed to carry the stuff over the tops of blazingskyscrapers, dropping it down. I'll supply complete aerialfire-fighting plants."
"And I think you'll do a good business," said the chemist.
It was the conclusion of the final tests of an improved chemicalmixture, and the reaction that had taken place in the test tube was theend of the experiment. Success was now again on the side of Tom Swift.
But when that has been said there remains the fact that it was just theother way with the unfortunate Mr. Baxter.
Try as he had, he could not succeed in getting the right chemicalcombination to perfect the dye process imparted to him by his lateFrench friend. With the disappearance of the secret formulae went thegood luck of Josephus Baxter.
He had worked hard, taking advantage of Tom's generosity, to bring backto his memory the proper manner of mixing certain ingredients, so thatpermanent dyes of wondrous beauty in coloring would be evolved. But itwas all in vain.
"I know who have those formulae," declared the chemist again and again."It is those scoundrels, Field and Melling. And they are planning tobuild up their own dye business with what is mine by right!"
And though Tom, also, believed this, there was no way of proving it.
As the young inventor had said, he was now ready to put his own latestinvention on the market. After many tests, aided in some by Mr. Baxter,a form of liquid fire extinguisher had been made that was superior toany known, and much cheaper to manufacture. Veteran members of firedepartments in and about Shopton told Tom so. All that remained was todemonstrate that it would be as effective on a large scale as it was ona small one, and big cities, it was agreed, must, of necessity, add itto their equipment.
"Well, I think I'll give orders to start the works going," said Tom, atthe conclusion of the final test. "I have all the ingredients on handnow, and all that remains is to combine them. My airship is all ready,with the bomb-dropping device."
"And I wish you all sorts of luck," said Mr. Baxter. "Now I am going tohave another go at my troubles. I have just thought of a possible newway of combining two of the chemicals I need to use. It may be I shallhave success."
"I hope so," murmured Tom. He was about to leave the room when Koku,the giant, entered, with a letter in his hand. The big man showed somesigns of agitation, and Tom was at once apprehensive about Eradicate.
"Is Rad--has anything happened--shall I get the doctor?"
"Oh, Rad, him all right," answered Koku. "That is him not see yet, butmebby soon. Only I have to chase boy, an' he make faces at me--boybring this," and the giant held out the envelope.
"Oh!" exclaimed Tom, and he understood now. Messenger boys frequentlycame to Tom's house or to the shops, and they took delight in pokingfun at Koku on account of his size, which made him slow in gettingabout. The boys delighted to have him chase them, and something likethis had evidently just taken place, accounting for Koku's agitation.
"This is for you, Mr. Baxter, not for me," said Tom, as he read thename on the envelope.
"For me!" exclaimed the chemist. "Who could be writing to me? It's abig firm of dye manufacturers," he went on, as he caught a glimpse ofthe superscription in the upper left hand corner.
Quickly he read the contents of the epistle, and a moment later he gavea joyful cry.
"I'm on the trail! On the trail of those scoundrels at last!" exclaimedJosephus Baxter. "This gives me just the evidence I needed! Now I'llhave them where I want them!"
Tom Swift Among the Fire Fighters; Or, Battling with Flames from the Air Page 19