Tom Swift Among the Fire Fighters | Page 3

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The Etext was prepared for Project Gutenberg by Anthony Matonac

TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS OR Battling with
Flames from the Air
By VICTOR APPLETON

CONTENTS


CHAPTER
I
A BAD PLACE FOR A FIRE
II NO USE OF LIVING!
III TOM'S NEW IDEA
IV AN EXPERIMENT
V THE EXPLOSION
VI TOM IS WORRIED
VII A FORCED LANDING
VIII STRANGE TALK
IX SUSPICIONS
X ANOTHER ATTEMPT
XI THE BLAZING TREE
XII TOM IS LONESOME

XIII A SUCCESSFUL TEST
XIV OUT OF THE CLOUDS
XV COALS OF FIRE
XVI VIOLENT THREATS
XVII A TOWN BLAZE
XVIII FINISHING TOUCHES
XIX ON THE TRAIL
XX A HEAVY LOAD
XXI THE LIGHT IN THE SKY
XXII TRAPPED
XXIII TO THE RESCUE
XXIV A STRANGE DISCOVERY
XXV THE LIGHT OF DAY

TOM SWIFT AMONG THE FIRE FIGHTERS


CHAPTER I
A BAD PLACE FOR A FIRE
"IMPOSSIBLE, Ned! It can't be as much as that!"

"Well, you can prove the additions yourself, Tom, on one of the adding
machines. I've been over 'em twice, and get the same result each time.
There are the figures. They say figures don't lie, though it doesn't
follow that the opposite is true, for those who do not stick closely to the
truth do, sometimes, figure. But there you have it; your financial
statement for the year," and Ned Newton, business manager for Tom
Swift, the talented young inventor, shoved a mass of papers across the
table to his friend and chum, as well as employer.
"It doesn't seem possible, Ned, that we have made as much as that this
past year. And this, as I understand it, doesn't include what was taken
from the wreck of the Pandora?"
Tom Swift looked questioningly at Ned Newton, who shook his head in
answer.
"You really didn't get anything to speak of out of your undersea search,
Tom," replied the young financial manager, "so I didn't include it. But
there's enough without that."
"I should say so!" exclaimed Tom. "Whew!" he whistled, "I didn't think
I was worth that much."
"Well, you've earned it, every cent, with the inventions of yourself and
your father."
"And I might add that we wouldn't have half we earn if it wasn't for the
shrewd way you look after us, Ned," said Tom, with a warm smile at
his friend. "I appreciate the way you manage our affairs; for, though I
have had some pretty good luck with my searchlight, wizard camera,
war tank and other contraptions, I never would have been able to save
any of the money they brought in if it hadn't been for you."
"Well, that's what I'm here for," remarked Ned modestly.
"I appreciate that," began Tom Swift. "And I want to say, Ned--"
But Tom did not say what he had started to. He broke off suddenly, and

seemed to be listening to some sound outside the room of his home
where he and his financial and business manager were going over the
year's statement and accounting.
Ned, too, in spite of the fact that he had been busy going over figures,
adding up long columns, checking statements, and giving the results to
Tom, had been aware, in the last five minutes, of an ever-growing
tumult in the street. At first it had been no more than the passage along
the thoroughfare of an unusual number of pedestrians. Ned had
accounted for it at first by the theory that some moving picture theater
had finished the first performance and the people were hurrying home.
But after he had finished his financial labors and had handed Tom the
first of