For the giant it was but child's play to carry the heavy boxes
of powder, and soon he had them all removed from the truck. Then,
with the danger thus narrowly averted, they all, including the
expressman, turned in and began throwing sand on the fire, which
now had a good hold on the body of the auto. The shovel, which
Eradicate had sent by Koku, who could use more speed than could
the aged colored man, came in handy.

Soon the fire was out, though not before the truck had been
badly damaged, and some of its load destroyed. But, beyond a
charring of some of the powder boxes, the explosive was intact.

"Whew! That was a lucky escape," murmured Tom, as he sat down
on one of the boxes, and wiped the smoke and sweat from his face.
"A little later and there'd only been a hole in the ground to
tell what happened. hot work; eh, Ned?"

"I guess yes, Tom."

"I thought of the powder as soon as I saw that the truck was on
fire," explained the expressman; "but I didn't know what to do. I
was kinder flustered, I guess. This is the second time this old
truck has caught fire from a leaky gasoline pipe. I guess that
will be the last--it will for me, anyhow. I'll resign if they
don't give me another machine. Will you sign for your stuff?" he
asked Tom, holding out the receipt book, which had escaped the
flames.

"Yes, and I'm mighty glad I'm here to sign for it," replied the
young inventor. "Now, Koku, I guess you can take that stuff up to