emains 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 usual amount of noise. During the morning
Snap heard from another lad how Ham and Carl were boasting of their
fireworks.

"Finest fireworks the town ever saw," Ham had said. All the boys
were invited to "hang on the Dudder fence" and see them set off
that evening at nine o'clock.

"Now is the time for us to do something," said Snap to his chums, a
little later.

The evening before they had visited the Dudder barn but had failed
to locate the fireworks.

"That's right," said Giant. "The fireworks are there now---I saw
Carl and Ham bringing them from the express office."

With caution the four boys walked down a side street, which connected,
by an alleyway, with the Dudder barn. Nobody was in sight, and
they slipped into the barn with ease. In a corner, on the floor,
they saw a long, flat box, marked "Fireworks! With care!"

"We mustn't take them all!" said Shep. "We must leave a top row---just
to fool 'em."

The others understood and went to work with care. In a very few
minutes they had most of the fireworks pinwheels, rockets, Roman
candles, flower pots and others---in their possession. Then they
stuffed hay in the bottom of the box and on the top placed two
pinwheels and three small Roman candles.

"I'm afraid they'll suspect us if we set these off," said Snap,
when he and his chums were at a safe distance.

"What if they do?" demanded the doctor's son. "If they say anything
we can yell 'stolen clothes' at them."

The boys were afraid Ham and Carl would attempt to sort out the
fireworks before the time to set them off, but this fear proved
groundless, for Ham and Carl were busy showing off two silver-plated
pistols they had purchased. They were firing at a target set
up near Ham's house, but they failed to hit the bull's-eye more
than once in a dozen shots.

"No wonder they can't bring down any game