“It looks to me as if the worst was over,” remarked Fred, after there had been comparative silence for fully a quarter of an hour.
“Say, I’m going down to the lake front to see what’s doing,” declared Randy, a little later. “Perhaps we can be of some assistance.”
“That’s the talk! We can’t do anything more here,” returned his twin.
“Let’s all go down!” cried Jack. “We ought to be able to do something for those poor workmen who have been hurt.” And then, turning to Ruth, he continued: “If there are any more big explosions and this place seems to be in danger, we’ll be back.”
“Oh, Jack! I don’t want you to run into any danger down at the lake shore,” said the girl, looking at him pleadingly with her big brown eyes.
“I guess we’ll be able to take care of ourselves,” he answered lightly. But it pleased him a great deal to have Ruth so full of consideration for him.
Leaving their automobiles in the school grounds, the Rovers and their chums left the place, crossed the highway, and followed the footpath leading down to the Clearwater Hall boathouse. Here they found only a few people congregated, the heavy-rolling clouds of smoke keeping a good many away.
“Not very pleasant here,” was Gif Garrison’s comment, after the smoke had made him cough. “I don’t think I’m going to stay.”
“Neither am I,” said Spouter. And presently he and quite a few others left, leaving the four Rovers to themselves.
“You know what I’ve got an idea of doing?” declared Jack. “Why not get out one of the Clearwater Hall boats and row over a little closer to that place? We may be able to be of some assistance to some of the workmen.”