Part 6 (1/2)
”We want to talk to you,” said Snap.
”We have nothing to say,” cried Ham, haughtily. ”Get out of my way!”
And he tried to brush past again.
”Ham Spink, I want to say just one thing,” answered Snap. ”I think you are as mean as you ever were, and I, for one, am going to pay you back for what you did the day we went swimming.”
”Oh, give us a rest” muttered the dudish youth, and went on, and Carl Dudder followed, sticking his tongue in his cheek as he pa.s.sed.
”Say, shall we pitch into them?” whispered Whopper. ”We can knock them into the middle of next month!”
”No---wait---I've just thought of something,” interposed Snap. ”Let them go and come with me.”
He led the way to a safe distance and then turned to Whopper.
”Did you hear them speak of some fireworks?”
”Sure.”
”Did they say anything about the fireworks in the post office?
”Why, yes. But what has that got to do with------”
”What did they say, Whopper?”
”Why, it seems Ham and Carl and some other fellows---the same crowd that has been against us for so long---have chipped in and ordered some fireworks from the city. They are going to set the fireworks off in front of the Dudder house on Fourth of July night. The Spink family and some others are to be there. Ham and Carl are boasting what a fine celebration it is to be.”
”Then I know what I'm going to do,” said Snap.
”What?” came from all of the others.
”They took our clothing---why can't we take the fireworks?”
”Whoop! Just the cheese!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Whopper. ”We can set them off in the public square.”
”Where the whole community can see them,” added Giant.
”And we can return the remains after they are shot off,” came from the doctor's son.
The matter was talked over for a half hour. All of the boys knew it was not just right to appropriate the fireworks but they were ”dead sore” on Ham and Carl and knew no other way to ”get square.”
The boys had made only a few preparations for the Fourth, for nearly all of their spending money had been used up in buying things for the proposed outing. They had some firecrackers, and some blank cartridges for their pistols, and that was all.
Independence Day dawned bright and clear and throughout the town of Fairview there was the usual amount of noise. During the morning Snap heard from another lad how Ham and Carl were boasting of their fireworks.
”Finest fireworks the town ever saw,” Ham had said. All the boys were invited to ”hang on the Dudder fence” and see them set off that evening at nine o'clock.
”Now is the time for us to do something,” said Snap to his chums, a little later.
The evening before they had visited the Dudder barn but had failed to locate the fireworks.