[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
."And that's about all the benefit I derived from being with those scoundrels,Field and Melling," said Mr.Baxter gloomily."You still think they took your dye formulae?'~ asked Tom."I'm positive of it, but I can't prove anything.They threatened to get thebest of me when I would not sell them, for a ridiculously low sum, an interestin the secrets.And I believe they did get the best of me during that fire.""I believe the same!" exclaimed Tom.Tom Swift Among The Fire FightersCHAPTER XI.THE BLAZING TREE38Page 34ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"How is that? What do you know? Can you help me prove anything against them?"eagerly asked the chemist."Well, I don't know," answered Tom slowly."I'll tell you what I heard."Thereupon he related the conversation he had overheard while with Mary at thewayside inn.The eyes ofJosephus Baxter gleamed as he listened to this recital."So that was their game!" he cried, as he smote the table with his fist,thereby nearly upsetting a test tube of acid, which Tom caught just in time."I knew something crooked was going on, and they thought I'd be so badlyovercome in the fire that I wouldn't know, or wouldn't remember, whathappened.""What did happen?" asked Tom."All I know is that you were overcome in thelaboratory room.""It's too long a story to tell in detail now," said Mr.Baxter."But the mainfacts are that through misrepresentations I was induced to associate myselfwith Field and Melling.They had a good factory for the making of fireworks,and some of the chemicals used in that industry also enter into themanufacture of the kind of dyes I have in mind to make.So I associated myselfwith them, they agreeing to let me use their laboratory."One night they came to see me as I was working there over my formulae.Theypretended to have discovered something in an expired patent that nullifiedwhat I had.I did not believe this to be so, and I brought out my formulae tocompare with theirs or what they said they had.The next thing I remember wasthat the fire broke out and my formulae disappeared.Then I was overcome, andI did not care what happened to me, for, having lost the valuable dyeformulae, I did not think life worth living."Perhaps I was foolish," said Mr.Baxter, "but I had tried so many things andfailed, and I counted so much on these formulae that it seemed as if thebottom dropped out of everything when I lost them.""I know," said Tom sympathetically."I've been in the same boat myself.Butare you sure they took the papers which meant so much to you?""I don't see who else could," answered the chemist."The papers were in a tinbox on the table in the room where I was overcome by fire gases, or where,perhaps, they drugged me.I am not clear on this point.And afterward the tinbox could not be found.There wasn't enough fire in that room to have meltedit.""No," agreed Tom, "it was mostly smoke in there, and smoke won't melt tin.Nordid I see any box on the table when we carried you out.""Then the only other surmise is that Field and Melling got away with myformulae during the excitement and when I was half unconscious," Went on Mr.Baxter bitterly."But you can see how foolish I would be to accuse them incourt.I haven't a bit of proof.""Not much, for a fact," agreed Tom."Well, with what I heard and what you tellme, perhaps we can work up a case against them later.I'll go over it withNed.He has a better head for business than I.""Yes, we inventors need some business brains; or at least the time to give tobusiness problems," agreed the chemist."But enough of my troubles.Let's getat this chemical compound of yours."Tom and Mr.Baxter spent many days and nights perfecting the fireextinguisherchemical, and, after repeated tests, Tom felt that he was nearer his goal.Tom Swift Among The Fire FightersCHAPTER XI.THE BLAZING TREE39One afternoon Ned called, and Tom invited him to go for a ride in a small butspeedy aeroplane."Anything special on?" asked the young manager."In a way, yes," Tom answered."I'm having a firm in Newmarket make me somedifferent containers, and they have promised me samples today.I thought I'dPage 35ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmltake a fly over and get them.I have the chemical compound all but perfectednow, and I want to give it another test.""All right, I'm with you," assented Ned."Newmarket," he added musingly."Isn't that where Field andMelling are now?""Yes.They have a factory on the outskirts of the place, and their offices arein the Landmark Building [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]