Tom Swift Among the Fire Fighters | Page 4

a series of statements to look over, the young financial expert
began to realize that there was no moving picture house near Tom's
home. Consequently the passing throngs could not be accounted for in
that way.
Yet the tumult of feet grew in the highway outside. Ned had begun to
wonder if there had been an attempted burglary, a fight, or something
like that, calling for police action, which had gathered an unusual
throng that warm, spring evening.
And then had come Tom's interruption of himself when he broke off in
the middle of a sentence to listen intently.
"What is it?" asked Ned.
"I thought I heard Rad or Koku moving around out there," murmured
Tom. "It may be that my father is not feeling well and wants to speak to
me or that some one may have telephoned. I told them not to disturb
me while you and I were going over the accounts. But if it is something
of importance--"
Again Tom paused, for distinctly now in addition to the ever-
increasing sounds in the streets could be heard a shuffling and talking
in the hall just outside the door.

"G'wan 'way from heah now!" cried the voice of a colored man.
"It is Rad!" exclaimed Tom, meaning thereby Eradicate Sampson, an
aged but faithful colored servant. And then the voice of Rad, as he was
most often called, went on with:
"G'wan 'way! I'll tell Massa Tom!"
"Me tell! Big thing! Best for big man tell!" broke in another voice; a
deep, booming voice that could only proceed from a powerfully built
man.
"Koku!" exclaimed Tom, with a half comical look at Ned. "He and Rad
are at it again!"
Koku was a giant, literally, and he had attached himself to Tom when
the latter had made one of many perilous trips. So eager were Eradicate
and Koku to serve the young inventor that frequently there were more
or less good-natured clashes between them to see who would have the
honor.
The discussion and scuffle in the hall at length grew so insistent that
Tom, fearing the aged colored man might accidentally be hurt by the
giant Koku, opened the door. There stood the two, each endeavoring to
push away the other that the victor might, it appeared, knock on the
door. Of course Rad was no match for Koku, but the giant, mindful of
his great strength, was not using all of it.
"Here! what does this mean?" cried Tom, rather more sternly than he
really meant. He had to pretend to be stern at times with his old colored
helper and the impulsive and powerful giant. "What are you cutting up
for outside my door when I told you I must be quiet with Mr. Newton?"
"No can be quiet!" declared the giant. "Too much noise in street--big
crowds--much big!"
He spoke an English of his own, did Koku.

"What are the crowds doing?" asked Ned. "I thought we'd been hearing
an ever increasing tumult, Tom," he said to the young inventor.
"Big crowds--'um go to see big--"
"Heah! Let me tell Massa Tom!" pleaded Rad. Poor Rad! He was
getting old and could not perform the services that once he had so
readily and efficiently done. Now he was eager to help Tom in such
small measure as carrying him a message. So it was with a feeling of
sadness that Tom heard the old man say again, pleadingly:
"Let me tell him, Koku! I know all 'bout it! Let me tell Massa Tom
whut it am, an'--"
"Well, go ahead and tell me!" burst 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