“Quick! Bring the extinguishers! They’re in the main cabin!” cried Jerry. Bob and Ned started back after them, while the tall lad kept on, to discover the location of the fire, which seemed to be in the very stern of the craft.
Jerry saw some dark object, from which the smoke seemed to be coming, and in the interior of which were seen the flames. He was about to rush at it, and toss it overboard, thinking fire might have been started by spontaneous combustion in some box or crate, when Bob and Ned ran up with chemical extinguishers.
“There it is!” cried Jerry, pointing to the fire. “Play the hose there!”
Suddenly there was a yell, and from the midst of the dark object, which the boys could now see was a canvas shelter, like a small tent, there sprang Professor Snodgrass, all dripping from the chemicals.
“Here! What’s the matter?” he shouted. “Stop! You’re drowning me!”
“We’re trying to put out the fire!” yelled Jerry. “What were you doing there? Are you burned? Did the smoke make you unconscious?”
“Fire! There’s no fire!” cried the little scientist, as he wiped the trickling chemicals from his face.
“No fire! Why the smoke?” asked Ned.
“And the flames!” added Bob.
“And the smell!” came from Jerry.