water was dashed over Toni's face, and presently he gave a little
gasp.

"Oh my! what struck me?" he murmured, and then tried to sit up,
but for the minute the effort was a failure.

"The pistol exploded," said Frank. "A piece must have hit you on
the head," and he pointed at a nasty scalp wound from which the
flow of blood emanated.

As well as it could be done, Frank and Dick bound up Tom's head
with a handkerchief, and presently the fun-loving lad declared
himself about as well as ever, "Only a bit light-headed," as he
added.

In the meantime the others had given their attention to Hans, who
had been struck both in the scalp and in the shoulder. It was a
good quarter of an hour before the German youth came around, and
then he felt so weak that the boys had to assist him back to the
academy.

"Honestly, I thought the pistol was empty," said Tom, on the
return to the Hall. "Why, I think I've pulled that trigger a
dozen times."

"Don't mention it," said Frank with a shiver. "Why, only last
week I pointed the thing at Peleg Snuggers and played at firing
it. Supposing it had gone off and killed somebody?"

And he shivered again.