Page:Young Hunters of the Lake.djvu/53

Rh living serpent, two mines, and a whole lot of other things too numerous to mention."

"Go on with the show," shouted a man outside. "We don't want to listen to no speech."

"Come, let us get the box," said Ham, and then he and Carl hurried down to the barn, where they found the flat box. Much to their surprise it was bound around and around with some old telegraph wire. Snap and his chums had wanted to nail the box up but had been afraid of the noise.

"Somebody's been playing a joke on us!" growled Ham.

"Never mind, we'll soon have the wire off," answered his crony. "Let us take the box outside."

They lifted the box and carried it out into the yard. There a number of visitors gathered around to watch proceedings, two holding up lanterns to illuminate the scene.

It took several minutes to take the wire from the box. Then the cover was wrenched off.

"Here we are!" cried Carl, and took up the top layer of fireworks. "Let us stack them against that bench, Ham."

"Look!" screamed Ham, and pulled up a handful of straw, in which the fireworks had been packed. "What does this mean?"

As he spoke he held up two half-burnt