Toad," the young man announced. "When he gets
working he shuts the whole world out, except for me. And he's
determined to find some way of using his invention in the battles. But
it's not very easy. The stuff is FAR more powerful than gunpowder, but if you even
drop it, it goes off!"
97 "How much did you use in those cannon?" asked Red Serpent.
98 "Just a few drops. You wanna see what A LOT will do?" The boy went
behind some rocks and from a straw-filled box he took a large bottle
and poured a yellowish liquid into a small one. Then, he carefully put
the big bottle back in the straw, and replaced its cork, corked the
small bottle, and stood at the edge of the quarry. Red Serpent and his
men came forward to watch.
99 "Oh, no!" the boy said, "Get back! It's too dangerous on the edge."
100 The others backed off. With all his might the boy hurled the
bottle, then ran and leaped behind the rocks. The others ducked, also.
There was a thundering roar, and rocks and dirt showered them. Red
Serpent jumped up, looked over the edge, and saw the great hole where
the bottle
had landed. "That tiny bit," he gasped, "did THAT?"
101 The boy nodded. "You could move a mountain with this stuff, but you
see the problem," he picked up another little bottle, and dropped it
from one hand to the other. Red Serpent's men jumped for cover. "If
there had been Yellow Thunder in this," the boy explained, "it would have gone off."
102 The old man appeared at the top of the bank. "Little Dog!" he
cried, "Stop showing off and get up here! I want you to go get some
workers. I want to make some mines. Some small wine kegs