So this is what Rex was hinting at in yesterday’s strip:  Unnamed authorities tried to burn the spilled chemical, but it got away from them. Got it! I guess that means mystery solved! Nothing left for Mark to do but move on to the next story, right?

Trivial Observations:

Don’t Mark’s comments in Panels 1 and 2 seem out of order?

Did you know about the 1970 exploding whale of Florence, Oregon, before you googled it? I did not! Wikipedia has a good account.  Maybe Mark learned about this event from one of Happy’s stories about his grandfather, Forest Trail.

Art Notes:

Why do open mouths in Mark Trail often appear solid white? I’m guessing it is a stylistic feature, like Little Orphan Annie’s blank eyes.