bonfire will answer the purpose. I'm having Koku and Rad make one
now down in our big meadow. As soon as it gets hot enough and
fierce enough, I'll sail over it in my small machine, drop the
extinguisher on it, and see what happens. Want to come?"

"Sure thing!" cried Ned. "And I hope the experiment is a
success!"

"Thanks," murmured Tom. "I'm about ready to start. All I have
to do is to take this tank up with me," and he pointed to one
containing his new mixture. "Of course the arrangement for
dumping it out of the aircraft is very crude," Tom said. "But I
can work on that later."

Ned and he were busy putting the can of Tom's new chemical
extinguisher in the airship when the door of the hangar was
suddenly opened and a very much excited man entered crying:

"Fire! Fire! Bless my kitchen sink, your meadow's on fire, Tom
Swift! It's blazing high! Fire! Fire!"



CHAPTER V

THE EXPLOSION


Tom and Ned were so startled by the entrance of the excited man
with his cry of "Fire!" that the young inventor nearly dropped