Anthony M. Rud

“ Feeling that I could be of no more assistance to him there, I hastily descended the pole, and made my way around the warehouse to the door in front. Just as I arrived, a bareheaded man, heavy-set and with a pair of blue, popping eyes, burst through. ”

“ The idea is that when this monster has all its tubes shooting out the burning, expanding gases and liquids from the nozzles, the high pressure exerted on the atmosphere makes the wheel revolve at enormous speed—speed probably greater than that attained by any other human machine! ”

“ The revolution of the wheel, which is a great deal like the pin-wheels we used to fire off on the nights of Fourth of July, exerts a tremendous lifting force on the air in which it travels, through the medium of these propellers, or fins, on the bottom of the thermos-bottle spokes. ”

“ The original impetus was sufficient to carry it across the four piers.”
“And the tub-bomb?”
Masters smiled grimly. “That almost spelled Finis for Hoffman and myself. I knew that Lilienthal probably would be making another of the machines, so that when I found he was in the building—Hoffman knocked him down just as he was leaving—I knew that he would have some method of destroying his work rather than have it fall into the hands of the United States' authorities. As a matter of fact, I got here in just the nick of time! See this burned fuse?” We all nodded assent. ”

“ The police net has become so efficient in our big cities that even most intelligent criminals fall into it. But now and then comes a real genius like the man back of this.”
“Then you are positive that this is a war-plot?”
“Absolutely. Meteors don't throw off naphtha, sulphur and niter; nor do they spin like tops; nor do they stay in the air for any appreciable periods. Yes, I know a German is behind this; in fact, I can almost say without investigating further that I know what German!”
“Good heavens, how?”
“Well, this machine is a marvel of mechanical ingenuity ”

“ One of the watchmen—we'll go to see him presently—declared that the fiery thing was a 'shootin'-star,' so Bennett, with the palpable camouflage of a tactful elephant, directed the papers not to mention the possibility of the fire being of incendiary origin. That's why all the Sunday supplement stories appear on the first page to-day. ”

“ However, it accomplished its purpose thoroughly; it is a high development of Flammenwerfer, a German invention, and it was used in attacking Allied shipping and munitions destined for the Allies. Therefore it doubtless is German, or at least the work of a German sympathizer who is willing to risk his all to help the German cause. So far as I know there are just three Teutons in this country who have laboratories equipped well enough to turn out a machine of this description. Well, I do not believe we shall be long in the dark! ”

“ This keeps the machine from falling to the ground until all the liquid fire is exhausted.”
“But what is the metal rim for?” I queried, reaching down my hand to touch it.
“Stop!” shouted Masters, just in time to prevent my hand from seizing it. “Lord! You almost gave me heart-failure!” he said, heaving a sigh of relief. “That rim is arranged with an electrical apparatus in some way so that when the whole mechanism is started whirling, centrifugal force releases it. ”

“ Then, as soon as I had donned my jacket, Masters led the way to the street and made for the subway. “We'll interview one of the guards, first of all,” he informed me. “You know, ever since the declaration of war, patrols of armed guards have been kept on the munitions-piers. Most of them are being held at the Tombs.” ”