t for me!"

Midget sat down on the staircase window-seat, and in a moment King
joined her there.

"Hello, Mopsy-Doodle! Merry Fourth of Ju--New Year's!"

"Hello, yourself! Oh, King, isn't it a gorgeous day? What shall we do
first?"

"I dunno! We can't shoot things or make much noise, until Father and
Mother get up. It would be mean to wake them."

"Oh, pshaw! they can't be asleep through all this racket that is going
on. Hear the shooting all around."

"Well, we'll see. Let's get outdoors, anyhow."

The children opened the front door, and there, sitting on the veranda
steps, his head leaning against a pillar, sat Cousin Jack, apparently
sound asleep.

"Will you look at that!" said King, in a whisper. "Has he been here all
night, do you s'pose?"

"No, 'course not. But I s'pose he's been here some time. Do you think
he's really asleep?"

"He looks so. What shall we do with him?"

"Dress him up," commanded Marjorie, promptly, and pulling off her wide
hair-ribbons, she proceeded to tie one around Cousin Jack's neck, and
one around his head, giving that gentleman a very festive appearance.

After she had arranged the bows to her satisfaction, Cousin Jack
obligingly woke up,--though, as a matter of fact, he hadn't been to
sleep!

"Why, if here isn't Mehitabel!" he exclaimed; "and Hezekiah, too! What a
surprise!"

"How do you like your decorations?" asked Marjorie, surveying him with
admiration.

"Oh, are these ribbons _real_? I thought I was dreaming, and had a
Fourth of July nightmare."

"How long have you been here, Cousin Jack?" asked King.

"Well, I was waking, so I called early; I don't know at what hour, but
I've been long enough alone, so I'm glad you two young patriots came
down to help me celebrate. Polly want a firecracker?" He held out a pack
of small ones to Marjorie, but she declined them.

"No, thank you; give those to King. I'd rather have torpedoes."

"All right, my girlie, here you are! And here's a cap to replace the
ribbons you so kindly gave me."

Cousin Jack drew from his pocket a tissue-paper cap, that had evidently
come in a snapping-cracker. Then he produced another one for King, and
one which he laid aside for Rosy Posy. They were gay red, white, and
blue caps, with cockades and streamers.

"Now, we'll be a procession," he went on. From a nook on the veranda,
where he had hidden them, he produced a drum, a tambourine, and a
cornet.

The cornet was his own, and he present