"That's plain enough," said Jack.
"Then," continued Phaeton, "whenever a fire occurs, the firemen (it needs only a few) take these ropes in their hands and start for the fire, the tent and balloon sailing along over their heads. When they get there, they let it go up till the bottom of the tent is higher than the top of the burning house, and then bring it down over the house, so as to inclose it, and hold the edge close against the surface of the ground till the fire is smothered."
"I see," said Jack; "the theory certainly is perfect."
"I have not forgotten," said Phaeton, "that the tent itself might take fire before they could fairly get it down over the house. To prevent that, I have a barrel of water at this point,—below the balloon and above the tent,—and have a few gimlet-holes in the bottom of the barrel; so that there is a continual trickle, which just keeps the tent too wet to take fire easily."
"That's as clear as can be," said Jack. "It's the wet-blanket principle reduced to scientific form."
"And how shall I manage it?" said Phaeton.
"As to that," said Jack, "the most appropriate man to consult is the chief engineer."
CHAPTER XVII.
HOW A CHURCH FLEW A KITE.