about the real estate agent. By now the truck would have wound its way slowly to the edge of the valley. It would have begun its descent on the very long driveway. The brakes would be failing by now, because Angus had never had them serviced in all the twenty years he'd owned the truck, and the hole at the bottom of the road, where the stream always washed out the shingle every time there was a good rain ... the very large hole would be coming nearer.

"We'd better stop that fellow before he -" said Angus, but he said no more, because just as the words were forming in his mouth there was a loud BOOM! that shook the air, and rattled the windows, and then a dark cloud of black and grey smoke began to rise far away down the end of the valley.

Mr. and Mrs. Magill stood looking at the cloud for a moment, then Angus started walking back to the house.

"Come on dear," he said, "We've got to find that contract and burn it before the police get here. The next time we sell this place, we'll get what it's really worth!"

Mrs. Magill hurried after her husband.

"Coming dear!" she said chuckling and smiling to herself. Life had suddenly become much more interesting.