wo men from the
floor above."

"Yes, and if they had stayed with us they wouldn't have been hurt,"
said Mr. Keith. "But, as it was, they rushed out and tried to get down
the stairs. They were caught in the draft and badly burned, I believe.
They are bringing them out now."

Two stretchers, on which lay inert forms, were borne through the now
silent crowd by firemen and police officers, and taken to waiting
ambulances.

"That's Field and Melling," said Mr. Keith to Tom. "They had offices
just above me, and they were trapped, as were Mary and I. They acted
like big cowards, too, though I hope they're not badly hurt. We stayed
inside my office, and we were just giving up the hope of rescue when
the fire seemed suddenly to die down."

"I should say it was sudden!" cried the enthusiastic local chief. "It
was the chemicals from this young man's airship that did the trick!"

"Oh, Tom, was it your new machine?" asked Mary.

"Yes," was the answer. "I was on my way to give a test tomorrow in
Denton when I saw this fire. I didn't know you were in it, though,
Mary."

"Oh, but I'm glad you came," she said. "It was just--awful!" and she
clung to Tom's arm, trembling.

When Field and Melling, whose rash conduct had caused them to be
severely but not fatally burned, had been taken to a hospital and the
fire was declared to be practically out, Tom made arrangements to leave
his airship in the city field all night.

"And you and your friends can come to Uncle Jasper's house," said Mary.

"Of course!" said Uncle Jasper himself, who had arrived on the scene,
attracted to the fire by the news that his niece and Mr. Keith were in
danger. "Lots of room! Come along! We'll celebrate your rescue."

So the crew of the fire-fighting Lucifer went with Mary, while the
firemen, after again thanking Tom most enthusiastically, kept on
playing, as a precaution, their streams of water on the still hot
building.

Only the central portion of the structure, the stairs and elevator
shafts, were burned away. The strong upward draft had kept the fire
from spreading much to either side.

"It certainly was a fierce blaze, and I'm glad my chemicals took such
prompt effect," said Tom. "I shall not fear any test after this."

It was the day following the night of excitement, and Tom and his
friends, at the invitation of the fire department of Newmarket, were
inspecting what was left of the Landmark Building--and there was
considerable left--thou