The scene reminded him of France where he had seen so many similar holes, the result of the explosion of shells.

He was down on his knees in a second, crawling about in the hole, feeling and smelling the ground.
"Smell this, Tom," he said, handing up to his companion a bit of cardboard.

"What does it suggest to you ?" "Powder, I should say," answered Tom.
"Exactly.

It is my opinion that our tree was dynamited.

That's what caused the explosion!" cried Hippy.