Explosion premature." Their anxiety only increased: Why hadn't Jack telegraphed?
Why leave it to Bolton?
Why was there no word of him,--and yet how could Bolton have known that Peter was with Ruth, except from young Breen.

In this mortal terror Peter had wired from Albany: "Is Breen hurt ?" but no answer had been received at Poughkeepsie.

There had not been time for it, perhaps, but still there was no answer, nor had his name been mentioned in any of the other telegrams.

That in itself was ominous.
This same question Ruth had asked herself a dozen times.

Jack was to have had charge of the battery--he had told her so.