"We must get her out!" he shouted. "I'm going in!"

But it was impossible, and the daring young inventor nearly succumbed to
the choking odors. Mr. Jackson dragged him back.

"We can't go in!" he cried. "There has been some mysterious work here!
Those fumes were put here to keep us from saving the machine. This fire
has been set by some enemy! We can't go in!"

"But I am going!" declared Tom. "We'll try the back door."

They rushed to that, but again were driven out by the gases and vapors,
which were mingled with the smoke. Disheartened, yet with a wild desire
to do something to save his precious craft, Tom Swift drew back for a
moment.

As he did so he heard a hiss, as Eradicate turned the chemical stream on
the blaze. Tom looked up. The faithful colored man was on a ladder near
the burning roof, acting well his part as a fireman.

"That's the stuff!" cried Tom. "Come on, Mr. Jackson. Maybe if we use
the chemical extinguishers we can drive out those fumes!"

The engineer understood. He took up the extinguisher he had brought, and
Tom got a second one from a nearby shed. Then Mr. Swift came out bearing
another.

"You shouldn't have come, dad! We can attend to it!" cried Tom, fearing
for the effect of the excitement on his invalid parent.