"I guess this is
the end of everything!"
But, to the surprise of all, the motor still kept up its hum, and
they could tell, by the "feel" of the craft that she was still
progressing. The gale had now almost completely died out, and the
Abaris was making good time, and on her proper course, when the fire
was discovered.
"The fire is scattered!" Dick yelled, as he rose up and took another
look in the motor-room. "I guess it was only that little tank of
gasolene that went up." Afterward this was found to be so.
The blazing liquid, however, had scattered all about the motor
compartment. Fortunately the walls were of steel, so that the fiery
stuff could burn itself out without doing much damage.
"More extinguishers!" yelled Dick, as he saw the spots of fire about
the motor. "First thing we know, some of the insulation will be
burned off, and we'll have a short circuit!"
The motor-room was almost free of smoke now, and there were only a
few scattered spots of fire. Standing in the entrance, Dick threw
the contents of several extinguishers inside, as they were passed
to him, and he had the satisfaction of seeing the flames gradually
choked by the chemical fumes thus released.
"Now I guess we're all right," said Mr. Vardon, when no more fire
could he seen. "And the marvel of it is that our motor never
stopped!"
"That's the one thing that saved us from making another descent--
our last," murmured Dick. "That's sure some motor, all right.
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