he 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 pasteboard tubes---the remains
of two Roman candles. The burnt-out remains of several pinwheels
followed.

Carl dove into the box and withdrew his hands covered with soot
and holding several burnt-out flower pots and the frame upon which
had once been fastened the "living picture" of our first President.

"What does this mean?"

"Somebody has been at this box!"

"The fireworks have all been shot off!"

"Hurry up with that display!" came from the fence. "Don't keep us
waiting all night!"

"Thought you was going to show us something better than that show
at the square!" piped in a small boy.

"We have been swindled!" groaned Ham.

"Somebody has tricked us," gasped Carl. "Oh, this is dreadful!"

"What's the matter, boys?" asked Mr. Dudden, coming up, followed
by Mr. Spink.

"The box is full of---of rubbish, father!"

"Somebody set off the things and put them back burnt up," added Ham.

After that there was considerable excitement. The box was overturned
and out tumbled the remains of the square celebration. With the
articles came a small basket, wrapped in a brown paper and sealed
up. Ham tore the covering from the basket and out dropped---two
lemons! On one was a bit of paper labeled Ham and on the other
a paper marked Carl.

"Oh, just let me catch the fellow who played this trick!" roared Ham,
dancing around in his rage. "Won't I just fix him! Won't I though!"

"Ain't you going to set off them fireworks?" called a boy from
the fence.

"Don't believe they've got any to set off," said another.

"It's a shame to keep us waiting here," put in a third.

"You shut up, all of you!" cried Carl, who was as angry as Ham.
"We'll set off the fireworks when we choose. Oh, if this isn't
the limit!" he murmured.

With no fireworks worth mentioning, the proposed celebration could
not come off, and everybody was bitterly disappointed. The crowd
outside the fence began to jeer, and some small boys threw lumps
of soft mu