Page:Young Hunters of the Lake.djvu/46

36 Fourth of July night. The Spink family and some others are to be there. Ham and Carl are boasting what a fine celebration it is to be."

"Then I know what I'm going to do," said Snap.

"What?" came from all of the others.

"They took our clothing—why can't we take the fireworks?"

"Whoop! Just the cheese!" ejaculated Whopper. "We can set them off in the public square."

"Where the whole community can see them," added Giant.

"And we can return the remains after they are shot off," came from the doctor's son.

The matter was talked over for a half hour. All of the boys knew it was not just right to appropriate the fireworks but they were "dead sore" on Ham and Carl and knew no other way to "get square."

The boys had made only a few preparations for the Fourth, for nearly all of their spending money had been used up in buying things for the proposed outing. They had some firecrackers, and some blank cartridges for their pistols, and that was all.

Independence Day dawned bright and clear and throughout the town of Fairview there was the