out the pond bank, which was a
high green wall like that which surrounds a reservoir.

Peter was busy stuffing the powder in the old gun, and all the others
looked on anxiously.

"Let's go up in that big limb of the willow tree," suggested Bert. "We
can see it all then, and be out of range of the fire."

So the boys climbed up in the low willow, that leaned over the pond
bank.

"They're almost ready," Harry said, seeing the crowd scatter.

"Look out!" yelled Peter, getting hold of the long string that would
fire the gun.

Peter gave it a tug, then another.

Everybody held their breath, expecting to hear an awful bang, but the
gun didn't go off.

Very cautiously Peter stepped nearer the cannon to see what might be
the matter, when the next instant with a terrific report the whole
cannon flew up in the air!

Peter fell back! His hat seemed to go up with the gun!

"Oh, he's killed!" yelled the people.

"Poor Peter!" gasped Harry.

"He ought to know better!" said Mr. Mason.

"Father said that cannon was dangerous," Harry added.

By this time the crowd had surrounded Peter, who lay so still and
looked so white. The Bobbsey boys climbed down from the tree and joined
the others. "He's only unconscious from the shock," spoke up Mr.
Mason, who was leaning down very close to Peter. "Stand back, and give
him air."

The crowd fell back now, and some of the boys looked around to find the
pieces of cannon.

"Don't touch it," said Tom Mason, as a little fellow attempted to pick
up a piece of the old gun. "There might be powder in it half lighted."

Mrs. Burns had run over from her home at the report of the accident,
and she was now bathing Peter's face with water from the pond.

"He's subject to fainting spells," she told the frightened people, "and
I think he'll be all right when he comes to."

Peter looked around, then he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"Did it go off?" he smiled, remembering the big report.

"Guess it did, and you went off with it," Mr. Mason said. "How do you
feel?"

"Oh, I'll be all right when my head clears a bit. I guess I fainted."

"So you did," said Mrs. Burns, "and there's no use scolding you for
firing that old gun. Come home now and go to bed; you have had all the
fireworks you want for one day."

Quite a crowd followed Peter over to his home, for they could not
believe he was not in any way hurt.

"Let us go home," Harry said to his cousin. "We have to get all our
firework