"It sure does! And, now I recall it, I saw him yesterday near your powder magazine. I called him down for it, for I knew Tom Swift had given orders that only his own party was to go near it. So the powder is doped; eh?"
"Yes! It's all off now."
He turned to see Tom approaching on the run.
"Any good powder left?" asked Ned.
"Not a pound. Did you hear anything?"
"Yes, one man has disappeared. Oh, Tom, we've got to fail after all! We can't save the town!"
"Yes, we can, Ned. If that dam will only hold for half an hour more."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I have another supply of good powder in the village. I secreted some there, you remember I told you. If I can go get that, and get back here in time, I can break down the barrier with one shot, and save Preston."
"But you never can make the trip there and back in time, with the powder, Tom. It's impossible. The dam may hold half an hour, or it may not. But, if it does, you can't do anything!"