rst out Tom, with a good-natured laugh.
"Don't keep me in suspense. If there's anything going on--"

He did not finish the sentence. It was evident that something of moment
was going on, for the crowds in the street were now running instead of
walking, and voices could be heard calling back and forth such
exclamations as:

"Where is it?"

"Must be a big one."

"And with this wind it'll be worse!"

Tom glanced at Ned and then at the two servants.

"Has anything happened?" asked the young inventor.

"Dey's a big fire, Massa Tom!" exploded Rad.

"Heap big blaze!" added Koku.

At the same time, out in the street high and clear, the cry rang out:

"Fire! Fire!"

"Is it any of our buildings?" exclaimed Tom, in his excitement catching
hold of the giant's arm.

"No, it's quite a way off, on de odder side of town," answered the
colored man. "But we t'ought we'd better come an' tell yo', an'--"

"Yes! Yes! I'm glad you did, Rad. It was perfectly right for you to
tell me! I wish you'd done it sooner, though! Come on, Ned! Let's go to
the blaze! We can finish looking over the figures another time. Is my
father all right, Rad?"

"Yes, suh, Massa Tom, he's done sleepin' good."

"Then don't disturb him. Mr. Newton and I will go to the fire. I'm
glad it isn't here," and Tom looked from a side window out on many
shops that were not a great distance from the house; shops where he and
his father had perfected many inventions.

The buildings had grown up around the old Swift homestead, which, now
that so much industry surrounded it, was not the most pleasant place to
live in. Tom and his father only made this their stopping place in
winter. In the summer they dwelt in a quiet cottage far removed from
the scenes of their industry.

"We'll take the electric runabout, Ned," remarked Tom, as he caught up
a hat from the rack, an example followed by his friend. Together the
young inventor and the financial manager hurried out to the garage,
where Tom soon had in operation a small electric automobile, that, more
than once, had proved its claim to being the "speediest car on the
road."

As they turned out of the driveway into the street they became aware of
great crowds making their way toward a glow of sinister red light
showing in the eastern sky.

"Some blaze!" exclaimed Tom, as he turned on more power.

"You said it!" ejaculated Ned. "Must be a general alarm," he added, as
they caught the sound from the next street