"I should say it was," echoed Hugh. "What luck that you should have seen those sparks when you did! There was only a couple of inches of fuse left." "Lucky you were with me too," said Bob soberly. "If I'd been alone I think I would have run for home." "Haven't you two gone home yet?" demanded a voice, and the two boys looked up to see Harold standing over them. "Not yet," said Bob. "Well, you'd better skip," Harold advised. "You'll get in trouble around here." "There'd been more trouble if we hadn't been here," said Bob quietly. "What do you mean?" Bob related the story of the bomb to his brother. "Say!" exclaimed Harold in an awestruck voice. "That was pretty good work of you two. A train came along on that track too." "Hugh got the bomb out just in time," said Bob. "Say," repeated Harold. "Say," he said again, completely overcome. "Do you think they'll let us enlist on the strength of what we did?" Hugh asked hopefully. "I doubt it," said Harold. "I'll certainly speak to the captain about you though." "We might as well go home now, I guess," said Bob. "You don't want to see your canoe tonight, do you?" "No," replied Hugh grimly. "I've lost all interest in canoes for the present." They said good night to Harold and started homeward. They still felt a little shaky as a result of the bomb episode, but before long the walk and the crisp night air had refreshed them and their spirits once more revived. "I wonder what they'll do to that German," exclaimed Bob. "Harold said they had locked him up for over night, and I guess when they hear what he tried to do, they'll keep him longer than that." "They'll send him to jail probably." "I hope so," said Hugh. "Any man who would try to blow up a bridge and kill crowds of people deserves worse than jail." "They'll give him five or ten years all right," said Bob. "Yes, and when they try his case we'll have to act as witnesses I suppose." "I wouldn't mind that," Bob exclaimed. "It might be a lot of fun." "Aren't these plotters silly?" said Hugh. "They may be able to blow up a plant or a bridge here and there, but they'll lose more than they gain." "Why so?" "Because it'll make the people mad. When they once get angry they'll fight and work much harder to defeat Germany. Half the people in this country don't seem to realize that we are at war now, but when a few of them get blown up we'll begin to do something." They discussed the war and the possibility of sending American troops to France. Hugh wanted to go into the aviation corps when he was old enough but Bob thought the infantry and solid ground under his feet would be good enough for him. Presently they came near home. Hugh lived two blocks farther down the street than Bob and consequently he had to pass the Cooks' house on his way. "There's the Wernbergs'," said Bob. "A light in the second story back window, and two automobiles in front." "Do you suppose they're up to anything?" exclaimed Hugh.