ithout being aware of it, Ken found himself running the last
half-block before he reached his own home. He burst in the door and
called out with forced cheeriness, "Hi, Mom, what's cooking? I'm
starved. The whole gang's coming over in a few minutes. I hope you've
got something for them."

His mother came out of the kitchen, her face gray with uncertainty.
"You'll have to do with sandwiches this afternoon," she said. "I haven't
been able to use the electric stove since noon."

Ken stared at her.

"There's something about the power," she went on. "We haven't any
lights, either. They say the power station at Collin's Dam went out of
commission this morning. They don't know when they'll be able to get it
back on."

Chapter 4. _Disaster Spreads_

While he stood, shocked by his mother's statement, Ken heard the phone
ringing in the next room. On battery power at the telephone central
office, he thought.

His mother answered, and there was a pause. "Professor Maddox is at the
college," she said. "You can probably reach him there, or I can give him
your message when he comes home."

She returned to the doorway. "That was the power company. They want your
father and Dr. Douglas to have a look at their generators.

"Ken, what do you think this means?" she asked worriedly. "What will
happen if all our power goes off and doesn't come back on? Do you think
your father has any idea what's causing the trouble?"

Ken shook his head. "I don't know, Mom. So far, nobody seems to know
anything."

In less than 15 minutes, Professor Maddox hurried into the house.
"Couldn't get my car going," he said. "It's stalled on the campus
parking lot. The power company wants me to go to Collin's Dam."

"I know," said Mrs. Maddox. "They called here."

He paused a moment, staring out the window, a look of bewilderment on
his face. "This thing seems to be more serious than I would have
believed possible. There's just no explanation for it, none at all!"

"Any chance of my going along, Dad?" Ken said.

"I'm afraid not. We're going in Dr. Larsen's car, and it's half loaded
with instruments. I hope we make it there and back without breaking
down.

"I'll probably be back early this evening, but don't hold dinner on my
account."

"There will be only sandwiches," said Ken's mother. "I can't cook
anything."

"Of course. Just leave me some of whatever you have."

From the doorway Ken watched his father and the other two scientists.