erated too quickly, and an explosion results. In
lamps, of course, and in lighting plants where carbide is used, there
are automatic arrangements to prevent the water flowing too freely to
the chemical. But Tom knew if the hose were turned on the fire in the
red shed a great explosion would result, for some of the tins of
carbide would be melted by the heat.

Yet the fire needed to be coped with. Already the flames were coming
through the roof, and the windows and door were spouting red fire and
volumes of smoke.

Several other employees of Tom's plant had made ready to unreel more
hose, but the warning of the young inventor, shouted to Eradicate and
Koku, had had its effect. Every man dropped the line he had begun to
unreel.

"Ha! Massa Tom say drop de hose, but how yo' gwine t' squirt watah on
a fire wifout a hose; answer me dat?" and Eradicate looked at Koku.

"Me no know," was the slow answer. "I guess Koku go pull shed down and
stamp out fire."

"Huh! Maybe yo' could do dat in cannibal land, where yo' all come
from," spoke Eradicate, "but yo' can't do dat heah! 'Sides, de red shed
will blow up soon. Dere's suffin' else in dere except carbide, an'
dat's gwine t' go up soon, dat's suah!"

"Maybe you get your strong man-mule, Boomerang," suggested Koku.
"Nothing ever hurt him--explosion or nothing. He can kick shed all to
pieces, and put out fire."

"Dat's what I wanted t' do, but Massa Tom say I cain't," explained the
colored man. "Golly! Look at dat fire!"

Indeed the blaze was now assuming alarming proportions. The red shed,
which was not a small structure, was blazing on all sides. About it
stood the men from the various shops.

"Tom, you must do something," said Mr. Swift. "If the flames once reach
that helmanite--"

"I know, Father. But that explosive is in double vacuum containers, and
it will be safe for some time yet. Besides, it's in the cellar. It's
the carbide I'm most worried about. We daren't use water."

"But something will have to be done!" exclaimed Mr. Damon. "Bless my
red necktie, if we don't--"

"Better get back a way," suggested Tom. "Something may go off!"

His words of warning had their effect, and the whole circle moved back
several paces.

"Is there anything of value in the shed?" asked Ned.

"I should say there was!" Tom answered. "I hoped we could get some of
them out, but we can't now--until the fire dies down a bit, at any
rate."

"Look, Tom! The pattern shop roof