and I have confidence that if anyone can discover the traitor, you
can."

"That's good of you," returned Josie, with a grimace, "but I lack a
similar confidence in myself. Don't you remember how many times I've
foozled?"

"But sometimes, Josie, you've won, and I hope you'll win now."

"Thank you," said Josie; "I hope so, myself."

CHAPTER X
THE EXPLOSION

Day was just beginning to break when a terrible detonation shook all
Dorfield. Houses rocked, windows rattled, a sudden wind swept over the
town and then a glare that was not a presage of the coming sun lit the
sky.

A brief silence succeeded the shock, but immediately thereafter
whistles shrieked, fire-bells clanged, a murmur of agitated voices
crying aloud was heard on every side, and the people began pouring from
the houses into the streets demanding the cause of the alarm.

Colonel Hathaway, still weak and nervous, stood trembling in his
bathrobe when Mary Louise came to him.

"It's the airplane factory, Gran'pa Jim," she said. "I can see it from
my windows. Something must have exploded and the buildings are on
fire."

The airplane works of Dorfield had been one of the city's most unique
institutions, but until we entered the World War it was not deemed of
prime importance. The government's vast airplane appropriations,
however, had resulted in the Dorfield works securing contracts for the
manufacture of war machines that straightway raised the enterprise to
an important position. The original plant had been duplicated a dozen
times, until now, on the big field south of the city, the cluster of
buildings required for the construction of aircraft was one of the most
imposing manufacturing plants in that part of the State. Skilled
government aviators had been sent to Dorfield to inspect every machine
turned out. Although backed by local capital, it was, in effect, a
government institution because it was now devoted exclusively to
government contracts; therefore the explosion and fire filled every
loyal heart with a sinister suspicion that an enemy had caused the
calamity.

Splendid work on the part of the fire department subdued the flames
after but two of the huge shed-like buildings had been destroyed. By
noon the fire was controlled; a cordon of special police surrounded the
entire plant and in one of the yards a hundred and fifty workmen were
corralled under arrest until the federal officers had made an
investigation and decided where to place t