he destruction of the
electric-light plant, were again as light as day.

"See that, Max?" whispered Dale in an awestruck voice as the flames
leaped up. "Surely our raid on the power-house cannot have done that?"

"I expect that something was upset in the mad rush for the doors. The
place is full of inflammables, and they will never get the fire out--you
see."

The scene was of absorbing interest, and Max and Dale and the faithful
Dubec mingled with the crowds of excited workmen and thoroughly enjoyed
themselves. Alarm-bells were sounding and bugle-calls ringing in all
directions, and in a few minutes two or three engines dashed into the
yard and began a hopeless fight against the raging fire. Max and his
friends continued to gaze on at the exciting scene until the former was
recalled to himself by the heavy tramp of what seemed to be detachments
of soldiers outside the walls of the yard.

"Listen, Dale, I can hear a lot of troops marching outside. I don't
think their presence bodes any good, and I think we had better be off.
The Germans will be most awfully savage, and will be firing on the mob,
or something of the sort."

"Shouldn't wonder, old man. Well, we've done enough for one night, so
let us join this crowd and leave by the main entrance."

A number of workmen, who were probably of the same mind as Max and did
not like the look of things, were moving towards the gates, and to these
our three friends joined themselves. On reaching the gates, however, the
whole party came to a standstill. The gates were closed, and a dozen
soldiers with fixed bayonets stood on guard in front of them.

"We made a mistake, Dale, in not getting away at once," whispered Max.
"We shall have trouble now, you may be sure."

As he spoke, the gates were opened and a motorcar drove through. It
contained the manager, M. Schenk, and two officers, and came to a stand
on the outskirts of the crowd collected at the gates. The manager
immediately stood up in the car and addressed the crowd in such stern
and peremptory tones that it would have seemed fitter, Max thought, had
the words been uttered by one of the officers at his side.

"Listen, men. A dastardly outrage has just been committed in these
works, and I am determined to bring the guilty ones to justice. I shall
allow no one to leave until he has been thoroughly examined, however
long it may take. Stand aside, therefore, and await your call quietly,
or I shall have recourse to ste