lared Tom. "Don't forget!" During the ride home the
young inventor was unusually silent, so much so that Mr. Damon finally
exclaimed:

"Bless my phonograph, Tom Swift! but what is the matter? Has Mary
broken the engagement?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that," was the answer. "Only I'm wondering about
Eradicate, and--other matters."

Other matters had to do with what Mary's uncle had told Tom about the
interest manifested by Field and Melling in some dye industry.

Tom's forebodings regarding his colored helper were nearly borne out,
for Dr. Henderson gloomily shook his head when asked for the verdict.

"It's too early to say for a certainty," replied the medical man, "but
I am not as hopeful as I was, Tom, I'm sorry to say."

"I'm sorry to hear it," returned Tom. "Is there anything we can do--any
hospital to which we can send him for special treatment?"

"No, he is doing as well as he can be expected to right here. Besides,
he has his friends around him, and the companionship of that giant of
yours, absurd as it may seem, is really a tonic to Eradicate. I never
saw such devotion on the part of any one."

"Koku has certainly changed," said Tom. "He and Rad used always to be
quarreling. But I guess that is all over," and Tom sighed.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," declared the medical man. "I haven't given
up, though there are some symptoms I do not like. However, I am going
to wait a week and then make another test."

Tom knew that the week would be an anxious one for him, but, as it
developed, he had so much to do in the next few days that, for the time
being, he rather forgot about Eradicate.

Field and Melling, he heard incidentally, had their machine towed to a
garage for repairs, but beyond that no word came from the two men.
Josephus Baxter remained at work over his dye formulae in one of Tom's
laboratories, but the young inventor did not see much of the
discouraged old man.

Tom did not tell of the encounter with Field and Melling and of
extinguishing the fire in their car, for he knew it would only excite
Mr. Baxter, and do no good.

It was within a few days of the time when Tom was to call in a
committee of fire insurance experts to give them a demonstration of the
efficiency of his aerial fire-fighting machine. He was putting the
finishing touches to his craft and its extinguishing-dropping devices
when he received a call from Mr. Baxter.

"Well, how goes it?" asked Tom, trying to infuse some cheer int