and it was thought
for a time that he would have to give up helping Tom. But there had
been a turn for the better, and the aged inventor had again taken his
place in the laboratory, though he was frail.

"What's the trouble now?" asked Tom. "At least I assume there has been
some trouble," he went on. "If I am wrong--"

"No, you are right, unfortunately," said Mr. Baxter gloomily. "The
trouble is that everything I do is a failure. Up to a little while ago
I thought I might succeed, in spite of Field and Melling's theft of the
formulae from me. I made a purple dye the other day, and tested it
today. It was a miserable failure, and it got on my nerves. I came to
see if you could help me."

"In what way?" asked Tom, wondering whether or not he had best tell Mr.
Baxter what he had overheard at the Inn.

"Well, I need better laboratory facilities," the man went on. "I know
you have been very kind to me, Mr. Swift, and it seems like an
imposition to ask for more. But I need a different lot of chemicals,
and they cost money. I also need some different apparatus. You have it
in your big laboratory. That wouldn't cost you anything. But of course
to go out and buy what I need--"

"Oh I guess we can stand that, can't we, Dad?" asked Tom, with a genial
smile. "You may have free access to our big laboratory, Mr. Baxter, and
I'll see that you get what chemicals you need."

"Oh, thank you!" exclaimed the inventor. "Now I believe I shall succeed
in spite of those rascals. Just think, Mr. Swift! They have started a
big new dye factory."

"So I have heard," replied Tom.

"And I'm almost sure they're using the secret formulae they stole from
me!" exclaimed Mr. Baxter. "But I'll get the best of them yet! I'll
invent a better dye than they ever can, even if they use the secrets
the old Frenchman gave me. All I need is a better place to work and all
the chemicals at my disposal."

"Then we'll try to help you," offered Tom.

"And if I can do anything let me know," put in Mr. Swift. "I shall be
glad to get in the harness again, Tom!" he added.

"Well, if you're so anxious to work, Dad, why not give me a hand with
my fire extinguisher chemical?" asked Tom. "I haven't been able to hit
on the solution, somehow or other."

"Perhaps I may be able to give you a hint or two after I get settled
down," suggested Mr. Baxter.

"I shall be glad of any assistance you can give," replied Tom Swift.
"And now I'm going to start right in. Dad