“There, off with you, Archie, my lad. Keep out of danger.”
“Of course, sir,” was the reply.
“I mean it, for you have had more than your share of my attention lately. But I say, my lad; feel very boyish now?”
“If you tease me again about that, Doctor,” said Archie, “I’ll never consult you again.”
“Till next time,” said the Doctor, with a chuckle.—“Great heavens! what’s that?”
That was a tremendous puff of wind that knocked the Japanese screen over against the wall, and sent Archie staggering so that he nearly fell over one of the wounded men. Then almost instantaneously came a terrific roar as if a sudden burst of a tropical storm had followed the flash of light which blazed through the lightly built place, the walls of which had rocked, and seemed to be tottering to their fall.
“Anybody hurt?” panted the Doctor, his first thought being that he must render aid.
“I—I don’t know, sir,” stammered Archie.
“Glad of it,” said the Doctor. “The worst storm I ever saw.”
“Storm, sir?” said Archie. “It’s the magazine gone!”