h of July," he
added proudly, as he laid the rocket beside the keg of powder.

"What made you think of them, Rob?" asked one of the boys, looking
admiringly at the lad of fourteen who had just spoken.

"I knew something had to be done," said Robert, "as soon as I heard they
weren't going to let us burn any candles to-morrow night 'cause candles
are so scarce. I knew we had to do something to show how proud we are
that they signed the Declaration of Independence two years ago, and so I
thought things over last night and worked out a way of making these
rockets. They'll be much grander than last year's candle parade. They
wouldn't let us light the streets, so we'll light the skies."

"I wish the Britishers could see them!" said one of the group; and
another added: "I wish General Washington could be in Lancaster
to-morrow night!"

Just before the warm sun dropped behind the tops of the walnut-grove
beyond the river the work was done, and a great pile of rockets lay on
the grass. Then, as though moved by one impulse, all the boys stripped
off their clothes and plunged into the cool pool of the river where it
made a great circle under the maples. They had all been born and brought
up near the winding Conestoga, and had fished in it and swam in it ever
since they could remember.

The next evening the boys of Lancaster sprang a surprise on that quiet
but patriotic town. The authorities had forbidden the burning of candles
on account of the scarcity caused by the War of Independence, and every
one expected that second Fourth of July to pass off as quietly as any
other day. But at dusk all the boys gathered at Rob Fulton's house, just
outside town, and as soon as it was really dark proceeded to the town
square, their arms full of mysterious packages.

It took only a few minutes to gather enough wood in the centre of the
square for a gigantic bonfire, and when all the people of Lancaster were
drawn into the square by the blaze, the boys started their display of
fireworks. The astonished people heard one dull thudding report after
another, saw a ball of colored fire flaming high in the air, then a
burst of myriad sparks and a rain of stars. They were not used to seeing
sky-rockets, most of them had never heard that there were such things,
but they were delighted with them, and hurrahed and cheered at each
fresh burst. This was indeed a great surprise.

"What are they? Where did they come from? How did the boys get them?"