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Just then, the stranger, noticing that dirt had been disturbed by the barrier, stopped short. He uttered a muffled exclamation, and then went on.

The Scouts saw him bend down to gaze at the exposed kettle, and carefully raise the lid.

“That’s his nitro!” Jack asserted. “It’s live stuff too! See how careful he is?”

The stranger turned unexpectedly, surveying the area with alert eyes. Jack and Willie remained motionless.

But the workman had noticed footprints in the soft earth near the fence. His gaze followed an indistinct shoe pattern directly to the clump of bushes.

Almost before the two realized that they had been detected, he whipped out an automatic.

“Come out o’ there!” he ordered, moving slowly forward. “With your hands up!”

Jack and Willie silently obeyed. One glimpse directly into the face of the sullen stranger convinced them that he would tolerate no delay. His dark eyes had a wild look which unnerved them more than the barrel of the automatic.

“What are you boys doing here?” the stranger demanded harshly.