Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

24 own private labaratory aU.nched to this house is at your disposal." The Experiment in Sight. IN Uie week or two that followed Bob Darrow tools advantage of every moment of his spare time by frequenting the Madisons' house. Not all of those moments were spent in the laboratory, for liis acquaintance with June ripened into a sentiment that promised to be stronger even than friendship—a circumstance that Dan Mitchell wa.s quick to notice during his occasional visits. In spite of tlie pleasant distraction of June's company, however. Bob put in a great deal of work on his invention, and he took Madison thoroughly into his confidence. Madi.son was helpful, and it soon be- came obvious that tie was keenly interested in Bob's project, little as it had appealed to him at first. "Dan," he said to Mitchell, when the latter called one morning, "that young fellow Darrow has brains as well as courage." Mitchell's lip curled slightly. "You think so?" lie drawled. "Well, he never struck me in that light. Climbing ladders with a hatchet in his fist seems about all he's good for to me." "Which is something very much to his credit," Madison put in curtly, feeling some annoyance at the tone Mitcliell had used. "But he's clever, too. He's no talker—that's why neither you nor 1 were impressed with him that djy we met him in my office. But his knowledge of practical chemistry doesn't fail short of mine, and I tell you candidly that I have high hopes he is on the right lines with his invention. If it succeeds, as I think it will, i' will revolutionise the accepted theories on the extinguishing of fires." Mitchell affected a mere casual interest, but to anyone but the un- suspecting James Madison the glint in the man's eyes might liave betrayed something of his innermost thoughts. "What makes you think Darrow's idea will turn out a success, Madison ?" he asked. "I've been watching him at work," the scientist an.swered, "and he's dis- cussed the invention with me in detail more than once since he's been coming about the house. I'm convinced there's something in it." "Well, I hope you're not dis- appointed," Mitchell observed, wittiout sincerity, and a few minutes later he took his departure. Leaving Madison's house, he motored to a .shady little office not far from the docks. It was occupied by a cer- tain Bat Thompson, who had figured in many an unscrupulous enterjirise during a chequered career, and who was at present involved in the patent- ing of a fire-extinguisher which he and Mitchell hoped to market. Thompson, a short, stoutly-built man with a crafty eye, was in conversation with ft rogue known as Spike Beldoa when Dan Mitchell entered the office. He cut short that conversation on see- ing Mitchell, and greeted him breezily. "Hello, Dan," he said. "Any news ?" "Bad news." Mitchell snapped. "Ijisten, Bat, that guy Darrow is on velvet. Madison'.* taken him under his wing, and he's giving him all the help he can with lii.s invention." Thompson leaned back in his chair comfortably. "We should worry," he sneered. Septemt»er ISth. liM. BOY'S CINEMA "Madison naturally feels under an obligation to this fireman, but he surely ain't crazy enough with grati- tude to put money into something that's bound to be a failure." "I'm not. so sure that it's going to be a failure," Mitchell retorted. "Madison seems to think a lot more of it than he did at the start. Iti fact, he just told me he was confident it was going to turn out to be ' the goods.' ■ If it does—well, you know what that means. Thomp.son." "Sure," was the rejoinder; "our own little patent goes up in smoke, as you might say." Mitchell nodded. "Too true," he ground out. "I wat banking on Madison to put it across, and though he didn't seem too in- terested, I felt pretty certain I could win him round. But this fellow Darrow is in the way. If he gets in first with his invention we're done." "How are you gonna stop him, Dan?" Thompson demanded. Mitchell leaned forward confidentially. "I don't know a lot about the principle of Darrow's invention," he said softly. "But I do know that it's a form of explosive—not damaging to life or property—but calculated to quell fire instantaneously. Does that suggest anything to you?" "Can't say it does," answered Thomp.son, after pondering a moment. "Does it to you. Spike?" And he glanced inquiringly at Beldon. Spike shook his head. He was a foxy-looking individual whose proper element was the gutter, possessed of a certain low cunning, but not much intelligence. "Well. I'll tell you what it suggests to me," said Mitchell. "Supposing somebody was to tamper with that chemical compound Darrow has dis- covered. Supposing somebody was to substitute it for a dangerous explosive just before the final experiment was made. Get the idea ?" Thompson and Beldon glanced at each other. "Who's gonna do the job?" the latter demanded. "You, Beldon," said Mitchell. "I'll put you wise to just what I want of you, and I'll hang around Madison and watch points in the meantime. When you get the okay from me, you'll go ahead according to instructions." An Impromptu Test. ANOTHER week had passed, and Bob, working in the laboratory attadied to James Madison's house, had comi^leted a series of minor tests which led liim to feel fairly con- fident that the final experiment, plariiied for that afternoon, would prove a success. Young Jackie was in the laboratory with him, an interested spectator of the last stages of a process that resulted in a gla.vs bulb being filled with a dull, yellowish fluid. '"There it i.s. Jackie," Bob declared. "The Darrow l''irc-Bomb, all ready for ll.sC. " "Fire-bomb," murmured Jackie. "It'll go off with a bang, then?" Bob nodded smilingly. "Not a very big bang." he said. "You see, Jackie, it isn't meant to blow things to piece.* But it is meant to blow out a fire. In fact, that's just about what it does—blows it out at one gu.st." "Without hurting anybody at all?" Jackie asked, in a tone of awe. "I could <lroi) it right lieie between ii.s," Bob told him, " atid we'd come off ■Every Tuesday without a sorat/;h. But you waUt and see." The barking of a dog from a kennel not far away reached Bob's ears just then. He paid no heed to it—was .scarcely aware of the sound, indeed—or he might have detected a quality of menace in it, the deep-throated menaco with which a good watch-dog greets the appearance of an intruder. There was an intruder in the vicinity. He was Spike Beldon, hireling of thoso partners in a shady enterprise—Mitchell and Thompson. From Alitchell. only an liour or so before. Spike Beldon had received the "okay," and, ac.^ording to instructions, he was "going ahead." The discoloured end of a cigarette stuck ill the corner of his mouth, ho scaled the wall surrounding the Madi- son grounds. It was the scraping of his feet against the stonework that started the watch-dog l)arking, and as the animal saw Beidon's head rise above the parapet his manner became as agitated as it was ominous. He was bound to his heavy kennel by a strong chain, which sprang taut as he bounded towards the wall. His paws slithered in liis frenzied but vain efforts to reach this and the ruffianly- looking stranger on the parapet, a.nd wisps of straw flew in all directions, straw that had been piled inside the kennel and around it, so that the dpg could bask in the sun or retire to the shade at will, v.ith the same maximum of comfort. Beldon was alarmed at first, but felt reassured the instant he realised that the dog was on a chain. He peered over the wall and singled out th«» laboratory, which he recognised from a description that Mitchell had given hjn.i. Then he shifted his glance toward.s the right, and perceived a dense mass of slirubbery growing close to the wall. • • The shrubbery suited his purpose. It was out of reach of the dog below him, and it was an effective place of concealment, through which he could worm his way close to the laboratory. 'J"he dog was still barking, and, with an imprecation. Beldon took the cigar- ette butt from his mouth and flung it at the animal. It struck tlie dog's coat and then fell amongst the straw, to smoulder there. But Beldon was un- aware of this. He had already dropped back to the road, and was running alongside the wall, which he scaled at the point where the shrubbery grew thickest. He dropped into the bushes and stole through them in the direction of the lab. As he was approaching the build- ing he heard voices coming through an open window, and, drawing .still nearer, he glanced.cautiously over the sill. He saw Bob and Jackie standing .at the bench. Meanwhile, the cigarette which had been tossed so carelessly from the wall was burning into the straw aroimd tho dog's kennel, straw on which a fierco Pacific sun had been beating down tha entire morning. Soon a flicker of flame started up from the pile, and in tho space of a few seconds a formidablo blaze was raging. The dog's barking took on a panic- stricken note, and if it had not attract<>d the attention of Bob and Jackie before, it certainly did so now. They moved to the door of the laboratory and looked out. and as they saw the flaming straw they littered a simultaneous cry. Bob whipped round and made a dive for the firebomb that stood oti the bench. He stiatched it np. and. with Jafkieat his heels, dashed in the direc- tion of the kennel. The flames had already gained a