CHAPTER XIV.
"CRAZY AS A POROUS PLASTER" It was terrific, and yet the only effect on the bench on which the mortar lay was to knock the board sideways from the boxes.
The mortar became as powder itself, though not a splinter was raised from the wood.
From the lips of Amos Garwood a fearful yell went up.

He plunged headlong a few feet, then lay on the ground, feebly nursing his right hand with his left.
As for Dick, Dave and Tom, their ears rang with the noise until they felt as though surely their ear-drums had been ruptured by the force of that awesome detonation.
An instant later all was quiet.

Dick and his chums speedily realized that they had escaped actual injury, yet their legs shook so that they could hardly stand.
"Wh---wh---what was it ?" asked Reade in accents that quivered in unison with his trembling legs.
"See here, fellows, we mustn't be fools," Dick cried chidingly.
"We're not hurt, and Mr.Garwood is.

Let's see what we can do for him." "Do for me, will you ?" groaned the injured one.

"No, you won't.
You boys keep your distance from me, or you're going to be worse scared than you are already.