"A chance? How?" asked Field. "Listen to that!"
Through the closed door of Mr. Keith's office could be heard the roar and crackle of flames, while the very air was now stifling and hot, filled with acrid smoke.
"We can only wait," said Mr. Keith, and he wet Mary's handkerchief in the water and handed it to her to bind over her face.
"Is everything all right, Ned?" called Tom, as he turned on a little more power, so that the Lucifer lunged ahead toward the great pillar of fire that now reddened the sky for miles around.
"All ready," was the answer. "You only have to give the word when you want us to let go."
"Let go!" cried Mr. Damon. "Bless my umbrella, Tom! We don't have to jump out, do we?"
"He means to let go the extinguisher grenades," said Mr. Baxter. "Shall we let them all go at once, Tom?" asked the chemist.
"No, drop half when I shoot over the first time. We'll see what effect they have, and then come back with the rest."
"That's the idea!" cried Ned. "Well, give us the word when you're ready, Tom."
"I will," was the answer of the young inventor, and with keen eyes he began to set the automatic gages so those in charge of the grenades would be able to drop them most effectively.