For an instant they hesitated. Why should they run? There appeared to be no danger. At the distance that they were from the spouting column it did not appear possible that they would be in jeopardy from it even when it collapsed and came crashing to earth.
“What’s the matter?” cried Rob.
“Don’t stop to ask questions. Run! Run! Run, I tell you!” roared the engineer.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE BOYS MEET AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.
The boys needed no further urging. Taking to their heels they ran like so many scared jackrabbits after the engineer. Tubby, his fat, stumpy legs working like piston rods, was in the lead.
“I knew something was going to bust,” he yelled, as he sprinted along, “and it has!”
Suddenly Mr. Raynor, who was heading apparently for a piled-up mass of rocks, stopped and glanced back.
“Too late! Duck!” he shouted the next instant.
Down flopped the boys, but as they threw themselves face downward they felt as if they were being lifted from the ground by a giant hand and then slammed down again. It seemed almost as if a heavy weight had been hurled down on them.
Then came a terrific, blasting roar and blinding flash as if a huge gun had been set off quite close to them.