There was a chorus of shouts, the same wild yell repeated, and then,sudden and without warning, came a dense and heavy rain of purpleest oil.

"0h, Bob, Bob!" There was genuine anguish in Morgan's wail of appeal. "Mynew blouse--look at it!"

But Bob had no time to look at anything. Action was to be his course.

"It's a premature blast!" he shouted. "Come on, we've got to get out!"

CHAPTER II

N0RMA'S LETTER