He did not finish his half-spoken thought, but shuddered as he looked at the cadets grouped around the burning structure. He wanted to order them away, but he knew the only safety lay in putting out the flames to prevent the explosion. And the cadets seemed to be the only ones capable of handling the situation, for the janitors had completely lost their heads and were so confused that they could not obey the simplest order.
"Get the other hose into action!" cried the major, for there were two small lines available for use at the powder house. "You'll never get it out with one."
"I'll attend to it!" answered Dick, and, leaving Dutton and Paul to manage the one line, he and John Stiver ran to the other and began unreeling that.
The flames were now at their height, and were blazing high, the loose and light wood of the packing boxes making excellent fuel.
"Hurry! Hurry!" nervously ordered the major, doing all he could. Colonel Masterly and some of the other instructors now arrived, but there was little they could do.
"If we can only keep the fire away from the door a little longer," murmured the colonel. "They are subduing it, don't you think, Major?"
"They are doing good work—plucky lads. It takes an emergency like this to show their mettle."
"Do you think the door will catch?"
"I hope not, but——"
It was a vain hope, as they could see a moment later.