"I take it, hearing that from you, Tom, that we're all right,"
said Ned Newton, as he recovered himself and brushed some dirt
off his coat. Ned was a natty dresser.

"Yes, we seem to be all right," replied Tom slowly. "I can't
say what damage the flying motor has done outside, but--"

"Bless my insurance policy! but what happened?" asked Mr.
Damon. "I saw Eradicate pull on that lever as you told him to,
Tom, and then things all went topsy-turvy! Did he pull the wrong
handle?"

"No, it wasn't Rad's fault at all," said Tom. "The trouble was,
as I guess I'll find when I investigate, that I put too much
power into the motor, and the muffler didn't give any chance for
the accumulated exhaust gases to expand and escape. I didn't
allow for that, and they simply backed up, compressed and
exploded. I guess that's the whole explanation."

"I'm inclined to agree with you, Son," said Mr. Swift dryly.
"Don't try to get rid of all the noise at once. Eliminate it by
degrees and it will be safer."

"I guess so," agreed Tom.

By this time a score of workmen from the other shops had
congregated around the one though the roof of which the motor had
been blown. Tom opened the door to assure Jackson and the others
that no one was hurt, and then the young inventor saw the