were talking of their chances for escape, when there suddenly sounded
outside a whine, a scream and a mingled roar.

The next instant there was an explosion that threw them all flat from
the force of the concussion, and a terrific noise deafened them. They
seemed to be at the ending of the career of this part of the old earth
as they saw the whole front wall of the red mill collapse, falling as
though sliced off by a gigantic cleaver.




CHAPTER XI

A STRANGE RESCUE


Stunned by the concussion, half choked by the clouds of dust and
smoke, terribly jarred when they had been felled by the force of the
explosion just outside the mill, our five heroes lay, for several
seconds, totally unable to stir. Had there been a rush of Huns on them
at that moment, or had some following explosion endangered the mill,
they would not have been able to move to save themselves.

But, for a time, there was no further explosion, so that the Khaki
Boys had a chance to recover their breath, and, what was more
important in their perilous situation, gather their no less scattered
wits.

"What--what in the name of the great Attila himself was that?" gasped