of the place, and their
offices are in the Landmark Building. But we aren't going to see them,
though we may call on them later, when you have that case better worked
up." For Ned's services had been enlisted to aid Mr. Baxter.

"I shall need a little more time," remarked Ned. "But I think we can at
least bluff them into playing into our hands. I have a report to hear
from a private detective I have hired."

"I hope we can do something to aid Baxter," remarked Tom. "He has done
me good service in this chemical fire extinguisher matter."

A little later Tom and Ned were speeding through the air on their way
to Newmarket. The rapid flier was making good time at not a great
height when Ned, leaning forward, appeared to be gazing at something in
the near distance.

"What's the matter?" asked Tom, for he had his silencer on this craft
and it was possible for the occupants to converse. "Do you hear one of
the cylinders missing, Ned?"

"No. But what's that smoke down there?" and Ned pointed. "It looks like
a fire!"

"It is a fire!" exclaimed Tom, as he took an observation. "Not a big
one, but a fire, just the same. If only--"

He did not finish what he started to say, but changed the direction of
his air craft and headed directly toward a pall of smoke about a mile
away.

In a few seconds they were near enough to make out the character of the
blaze.

"Look, Tom!" cried Ned. "It's an immense tree on fire!"

"A tree!" exclaimed Tom, half incredulously, for he was leaning forward
to look at one of the aeroplane gages and did not have a clear view of
what Ned was looking at.

"Yes, as sure as Mr. Damon would bless something if he were here! It's
a tree on fire up near the top!"

"That's strange!" murmured Tom. "But it may give me just the chance
I've been looking for."

Ned wondered at this remark on the part of his chum as the airship drew
nearer the blazing monarch in the patch of woods over which they were
then hovering.

CHAPTER XII

TOM IS LONESOME

"This is certainly the strangest sight I ever saw," remarked Ned, as he
and his chum flew nearer and nearer to the smoking and blazing tree.
"Is the world turning upside down, Tom, when fires start in this
fashion?"

"I fancy it can easily be explained," answered the young inventor.
"We'll go into that later. Here, Ned, grab hold of that tin can on the
floor and take out the screw plug."

"What's the idea?"

"I want you to drop it as nearly as