impressively.

"Whew! that seems queer, doesn't it?" faltered Bud.

"And it must be almost down to freezing, into the bargain," added
the patrol leader. "I've seen lightning before, in February even,
but always during a thaw. Fact is, boys, I can't believe that it was
either lightning or thunder we saw and heard."

"But, Hugh, what could it have been then?" demanded Ralph.

"If we were nearer the granite quarries, I'd say they had set off an
extra big blast. You know we sometimes hear a faraway boom over home.
Sound travels many miles when there's a sub-strata of rock like a
ledge to act as a conductor."

"Yes, but then I understood work had stopped there for the season
the Saturday before Thanksgiving," volunteered Bud. "Still, they
may be doing some blasting, just to keep things moving as long
as the snow holds off. If that was a blast of dynamite, it must
have been a stunner to make the earth quiver so much."

Hugh made no reply. Plainly he was deeply impressed with the
mysterious nature of the unannounced explosion. And when once Hugh
started to find out what things meant, he seldom let the matter
drop until he had accomplished his purpose.

Bud also went to the door and looked out, his curiosity having been
duly aroused. Hence he did not hear Ralph make a significant
admission.