“Let’s try to elevate it a little,” suggested Randy. “Then the charge will make more of a showing.”
Not without considerable effort, the boys managed to raise the muzzle of the field piece until it was elevated to an angle of about forty-five degrees. Then Andy brought forth his fuse and attached the same.
“Now for it!” cried the fun-loving Rover, and without hesitation struck a match and applied the light to the fuse. Instantly the latter began to fizz, and all of the boys took to their heels.
Bang! [It was a tremendous explosion], much louder than any of the boys had anticipated, and it fairly made the windows of the various school buildings rattle. Looking, they saw not one spurt of flames, but a dozen or more shooting in various directions.
[IT WAS A TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION.]
“It’s busted! The cannon has busted!” gasped Fred, who had been thrown off his feet by the concussion.
“Gee! it can’t have been much of a piece,” was Andy’s comment, and he looked startled.
The tremendous report which echoed and re-echoed against the buildings and the hills beyond was followed by a moment of silence. Then came a yell from the cadets at the other end of the lake shore.
“I’m hit! I’m shot in the arm!”