The first speaker was one of the ship’s officers, and the other was Tom Swift, who, accompanied by his chum, was trying to get past a rope that had been hastily stretched in front of the hold where the smoke was rolling up in ever-thickening clouds.

“It’s important that you stay where you are,” insisted the officer.  “Look here young man, do you want to start a panic?  You know what that is on board ship.  Keep cool, we’ll get the fire out all right.”

“I am cool,” responded Tom, and, though he did look a bit excited, he was calm enough to know what he was doing.

“Then keep back!” insisted the officer.

A crowd was gathering and there were ominous whispers sent back and forth.  Some hysterical women were beginning to scream, and there were anxious looks on all faces.

“I tell you it’s important that I go down there,” insisted Tom.  “I want to get a box—­”

“We’ll look after the baggage of the passengers,” declared the officer.  “You don’t need to worry, young man.”

“But I tell you I do!” and Tom’s voice was loud now.  “It isn’t so much on my account, as—­” and then, stepping quickly to the side of the officer he whispered something.

“What!” cried the officer.  “You don’t tell me?  That was a risk!  I guess I’ll have to help you get it out.  Here, Mr. Simm,” he called to one of the mates, “stand guard here.  I’m going down into the hold with this young man.”

“Shall I come?” cried Ned.

“No, you go stay with Mr. Damon and Eradicate,” answered Tom.  “Tell them everything is all right.  And for cats’ sake keep Rad cool.  Don’t let him get excited and start a panic.  I’ll be back in a minute.”

With that Tom and the officer disappeared from view, and Ned, after wondering what it was all about, hastened to reassure Mr. Damon and the colored man that there was no danger, though from the manner in which Tom had acted his chum was convinced that something was wrong.

Meanwhile our hero, accompanied by the officer, was groping his way through the thick smoke in the compartment.  The officer had switched on the electric lights, and they shone with a yellow haze through the clouds of choking vapor.

“Can you see it?” asked the officer anxiously.

“I had it put where I could easily get at it,” answered Tom with a cough, for some of the smoke had got down his throat.  “I had an idea I might need it in a hurry.  Here it is!” and he pointed to a large box, marked with his initials in red paint.  “Give me a hand and we’ll get it out.”

“Yes, and send it on deck.  See, there’s the fire!” and the officer pointed to where a glow could be seen amid some bales of cotton.  “It will be slow burning, that’s one good thing, and by turning steam into this compartment we can soon put it out.”

“It’s pretty close to my box,” commented Tom, “but there isn’t as much danger as I thought.”