he was utterly unable to eat another bite, when there was a sudden
vivid flash as of lightning without that startled all the scouts;
and immediately following came a tremendous roar similar to a clap
of nearby thunder!




CHAPTER III

THE MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSION


"Wow! that was a stunner all right!" exclaimed Bud. "Why, honest,
I could feel the ground shake under me when that thunder clap came!
And as I happened to be looking over there where the opening lies,
the flash nearly blinded me."

"Lightning and thunder in November is something you don't often meet,"
was the comment of Ralph, turning a perplexed face toward Hugh, as
though depending on the leader of the Wolf patrol to solve the puzzle.

Without saying a word, Hugh jumped to his feet and went outside to
take a look around. He came back almost immediately, and his face
told them that his investigation instead of clearing up the mystery
had only added to it.

"What did you find out, Hugh?" questioned Bud.

"Not a single cloud to be seen in all the sky!" said the other