"And the other is the tramp we saw looking in the window that night!" added Jack. "Come on! Let's catch them! They may have done some damage! Andy! Here! With your gun! Quick!" The old hunter hastened to join the boys. He reached them in time to see the two intruders making for the woods back of the shed. "Hold on there!" cried Andy, quickly raising his gun and firing over their heads. But the men did not stop. Hardly had the echoes of Andy's weapon died away, than there sounded a loud explosion from the shop. A cloud of smoke poured from the windows. "They've blown up the projectile!" cried Mark. "Come on!" They ran toward the place where the explosion had occurred. As they neared the end of the shed Washington came running out. He showed great fear. "Come quick! Come quick!" he cried. "What's the matter?" shouted Jack. "Somebody's blowed de place up, an' Mr. Roumann am killed!" was the answer. CHAPTER XII THE ELECTRIC REMEDY "Get Professor Henderson!" directed Jack, "Where is Mr. Roumann, Washington?" "In heah!" exclaimed the colored man, pointing to the shop. "He am all blowed to pieces!" Jack and Mark were terribly afraid. The smoke of the explosion hung all about. They rushed through it, and into the shop. Part of the side of the wooden building had been blown out. "Where is he?" asked Mark. "I can't see anything." "Over here," called Jack, as he saw a huddled heap in one corner. As the smoke cleared away he could see pieces of machinery scattered all about. "Is the projectile damaged?" asked Mark anxiously. "Doesn't seem to be--at least, on the outside," answered Jack, as he looked at the huge shape of the Annihilator looming up before him. "But I'm afraid it's all up with Mr. Roumann." He bent over the German scientist. The man seemed lifeless. There was quite a cut on his head and his clothes were torn. "He's breathing a little!" cried jack. "We must get Professor Henderson here. He'll know what to do--if anything can be done for him." "They must have exploded a bomb in here," said Mark, as he looked around at the ruin about, them. "Something like that," admitted jack. "Here, help me carry Mr. Roumann out of the fumes," for there was a choking smell in the shop. The two boys found it hard work to carry that limp form out, but they managed it. Just as they got outside the shop they saw Professor Henderson running toward them, followed by Washington and Andy. "What has happened?" asked the inventor, for he had not been able to learn much from Washington's excited account. "I don't know," answered Jack. "We heard a explosion, just after we saw two men running away from the shop, and we found Mr. Roumann senseless." Professor Henderson bent over, and placed his hand on the heart of his friend. "I'm afraid he's dying," he said. "Dying?" cried jack in dismay. "Yes; and if he expires, the secret of the wonderful power will die with him. We will never be able to get to Mars!"