"Of course we have no idea yet how many people have been killed or wounded," declared a policeman who gave the cadets this information. "We are all upset because we don't know how bad the explosions may get. If they don't get any worse than they have been, we'll be thankful."
The cadets and their girl friends did not remain long in Haven Point. All were anxious to get to Clearwater Hall, to learn if that place was much damaged. The girls' school was directly opposite the shell-loading plant, and consequently more liable to suffer than the town or Colby Hall.
"Look at them getting away from that place, will you?" cried Fred, who had come as far as Haven Point on another automobile and then had rejoined his cousins. He pointed to the lake, where a number of rowboats and other craft were leaving the vicinity of the explosions.
"You can't blame them for wanting to get away," returned Jack. "It may mean life or death to them."
"Oh, I hope nobody has been killed!" murmured Ruth.
"I'm afraid, Ruth, that's too much to expect," answered Jack soberly.
"Oh, I just think war is too horrible for anything!" cried out Alice Strobell, who was along.
"I just wish they could sink all those Germans in their old submarines!" declared Annie Larkins who was also in the crowd.
"I guess we'd all be willing to subscribe to that!" cried Randy.
"You just wait until Uncle Sam gets into this scrap," declared Jack. "We'll show 'em what's what!"
"How I wish I could go to the front," said Andy wistfully. "It would beat going to school all hollow."
"Now that we've gone into the war, we'll have an army over there before long," said Spouter. "I suppose they'll send some of the regulars over first, and then some of the national guard--of course taken into the regular army--and after that we'll have the volunteers. I suppose if Uncle Sam really wanted to do it, he could get together several million men without half trying. And with an army like that, properly trained and equipped, and transported to the battlefields of Europe, we shall be sure to make a showing which will throw terror into the hearts of----"
"Hurrah! Spouter is off again," broke in Randy.
"Say, Spout! they ought to send you to the front to help talk the Huns to death," put in Andy. "Talk about gas and gas masks----"