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Ken had bent down again to sniff at the liquid in one of the bottles. Straightening, he gazed wide-eyed at his chums.

“This stuff isn’t water,” he told them tersely. “It’s too heavy. Furthermore, it has a peculiar odor.”

“What is it, if it isn’t water?” asked War. He started to pick up one of the containers. Ken seized his arm, shoving him back.

“Hey, what’s the idea?” War demanded indignantly.

“Don’t touch that stuff!”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s nitro-glycerin! At least I think it is.”

“Nitro,” War echoed, looking scared.

“There’s enough to blow us all to Kingdom Come! We’re lucky we haven’t set it off with the careless way we’ve been digging.”

“Let’s get out of here fast!” War said, starting away.

“We can’t just go off and leave the stuff,” Jack protested. “It’s too dangerous.”

“There’s only one thing to do,” Ken advised. “Two of us will have to remain here on guard. The rest can go for the police.”

No one spoke for a moment. All the Explorers had a healthy respect for nitro-glycerin, a powerful explosive. Under certain conditions, even a slight jar would be sufficient to set it off. If the liquid still were active, there was quantity enough to destroy the nearby automobile plant.