. Phaeton Rogers; a novel of boy life . ger than an ordinary house. It hasno opening, except that the bottom is entirely open, andthere is a long rope to each of the lower I have a balloon, to which this tent is fastened inplace of a car. Of course the balloon lifts the tent just asfar as the ropes- -which are fastened to something — willlet it go. Thats plain enough, said Jack. Then, continued Phaeton, whenever a fire occurs,the firemen (it needs only a few) take these ropes in theirhands and start for the fire, the tent and balloon sailingalong over their heads. When t
. Phaeton Rogers; a novel of boy life . ger than an ordinary house. It hasno opening, except that the bottom is entirely open, andthere is a long rope to each of the lower I have a balloon, to which this tent is fastened inplace of a car. Of course the balloon lifts the tent just asfar as the ropes- -which are fastened to something — willlet it go. Thats plain enough, said Jack. Then, continued Phaeton, whenever a fire occurs,the firemen (it needs only a few) take these ropes in theirhands and start for the fire, the tent and balloon sailingalong over their heads. When they get there, they let itgo up till the bottom of the tent is higher than the top ofthe burning house, and then bring it down over the house,so as to inclose it, and hold the edge close against thesurface of the ground till the fire is smothered. I see, said Jack ; the theory certainly is perfect. A NEW FIRE-EXTINGUISHER. 239 I have not forgotten, said Phaeton, that the tentitself might take fire before they could fairly get it down. PHAETONS DRAWING. over the house. To prevent that, I have a barrel ofwater at this point,— below the balloon and above the 240 PHAETON ROGERS. tent,— and have a few gimlet-holes in the bottom of thebarrel ; so that there is a continual trickle, which justkeeps the tent too wet to take fire easily. That s as clear as can be, said Jack. It s thewet-blanket principle reduced to scientific form. And how shall I manage it ? said Phaeton. As to that, said Jack, the most appropriate manto consult is the chief engineer. CHAPTER XVII. HOW A CHURCH FLEW A KITE. As soon as possible, Phaeton went down town with hisdrawing in his pocket, and hunted up the office of thechief engineer. This, he found, was in the engine-houseof Deluge One,--a carpeted room, nearly filled with arm-chairs, having at one end a platform, on which were asofa and an octagonal desk. The walls were draped withflags, and bore several mottoes, among which were EverReady, Fearless and
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