et one
fire-cracker."

"That is a misfortune for a boy, truly," said Mother Goose, "and I wish
I could help you, with all my heart, though I don't see how. But stay! I
had forgotten;" and diving to the bottom of a capacious pocket, she drew
forth a small box, and from it produced three diminutive fire-crackers.

"They are not much," she said, "but such as they are, you are welcome to
them, and at least you will not be crackerless. They were given to me,
years ago, by the Man in the Moon, when he came down on that trip to
Norridge (of which you have learned in your history), and staid
overnight at my house, and were part of a pack presented to him by the
Man in the South, who dislikes anything that suggests fire. He said they
were magic, and you must always make a wish before setting them off."

"Oh, thank you, Mother Goose; they are much better than none at all,"
said Humpty Dumpty, gratefully; and he looked quite happy once more, as
the good old lady nodded "good-by," and proceeded on her way, while the
gander waved a yellow webbed foot in farewell.

"I will set off one cracker before breakfast, one at noon, and one
to-night," thought Humpty Dumpty, as he tumbled out of bed bright and
early next morning; "as I have so few, I must make them go as far as
possible."

So as soon as he was dressed he ran into the yard and prepared to salute
the "Glorious Fourth."

"Mother Goose said I must make a wish first, so here goes: I wish for a
pop-gun, and no end of fire-crackers and torpedoes: now shoot away."

Touching the string with a match, there was a sharp report, and Humpty
Dumpty was obliged to dodge, for the air was instantly filled with
flying objects. A square package hit him on the nose, a round one landed
in his open mouth, while a pop-gun thumped him rudely on the back; and
by the time the cracker had burned itself out, he was standing in mute
amazement, gazing upon the fulfillment of his wish far beyond his
wildest expectations.

"Oh, jolly!" was his first comment, and he soon found courage to stuff
his pockets with the crackers and torpedoes until they stood out like
balloons, and made him look fatter than ever, when he walked down toward
the green, popping at every cat and dog on the way, the envy and
admiration of every other boy in Gooseneck.

Humpty Dumpty was a generous lad, however, and shared his treasures with
all his friends, although he would not tell where he got them; and by
noon every cracker