“Nothing at all like it,” Dick replied, with a pleasant smile.  “Mr. Garwood, we boys are playing in these woods.  If we’ve meddled with your affairs you’ll pardon us, and let us pass on, won’t you?”

“Didn’t you try to find me here?” demanded Garwood, suspicious still.

“I give you my word of honor that we didn’t, sir,” answered Dick.  “Until a moment ago we hadn’t any idea that you were within fifty miles of this spot.  You see, sir, we’re playing Indians and whites.  We’re the big Injuns, even if we don’t look it.  And behind us, somewhere on our trail, is Captain Greg Holmes, with a company of his brave soldiers, trailing us relentlessly.”

“Soldiers?” quivered Amos Garwood, his face going ashen.  Then his face suddenly took on a look of intense exultation.  “Soldiers?” he repeated.  “It couldn’t be better.  It is on soldiers that my amazing discovery should be proved.  But I waste time—–­and loss of time may be fatal to all my plans.  A few turns, and my discovery is ready.  I can then defy whole armies, if necessary!”

Sweeping the mortar around within reach, so that he could work and watch the Grammar School boys at the same time, Amos Garwood began to grind his pestle into the mixture with feverish energy.

Then all of a sudden the very earth shook and rocked.  Big Injun Prescott and his two braves were in the center of the biggest explosion they had ever heard!

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.  Don’t imagine that I’m helpless, for I’m not.  In me you behold the master of the world!”

“Confound him, I’ve a good mind to go away and let him have the world to himself,” muttered Reade.

But Dick and Dave had already started toward the spot where Amos lay.  The man scrambled to his feet, the old, hunted look coming into his eyes.