Oxford eagle., 1904-06-30

all would be over. The building, and
the members of parliament. supposed
to be seated inside, would only be a
memory. None of the five said word
and each held his breath in expecta.
ton of the terrific crash.
It's coming now," shouted Frank
as they heard the report Of one small
firecracker.
But it didn't come as fast as they
expected.
1T takes awful long," Clarence said
in discouraged tone.
Yes, it did take very long time
Five minutes passed. in fact, and still
no greater sound had they heard thar
the one small cracker.
What's the matter with the thing?
said one boy.
Maybe the rope was tangled up in
side" suggested Frank.
mo it wasn't, either" answered an
other in disgust.
You were here first. Cliff. Didn't
you go in and look at things to see Il
they we're all right?"
Il looked just before started down
to see the procession and | didn't hav.
time TO look again after | came back
before you got here"
Say. boys. somebody's been ned
ding, | think said Frank
"Oh, pshaw, don't. It'll go off yet.
Clarence persisted.
'.Wen, I'm going to go and look,
said Cliff
The other boys were little timid
about approaching the tin can
house, but Clifford, with the true Gus
Fawkes spirit, went straight ahead and
peeped in at the opening. The Others
confidently expected to see his head
blown off, but nothing of the KIM
happened. nor was it likely to have
taken place For what do you sup
pose Clifford saw as he looked In,
Well, it was truly enough to make his
blood boil. There was not sign of
I firecracker to be seen, and instead
there lay the end of the burn rope in
pail of water. Clifford stepped back
and beckoned to the other boys. He
was literally speechless. When all had
taken a peep at the disappointing
scene, the indignant conspirators OF
the .'gunpowder plot" at once hurried
over to the Gray's house. AS it hap
pened the professor was at home
With loud voices and excited gestures
the boys told their story, interspersed
now and then with wild conjectures az
to the probable perpetrators OF the
trick The professor heard them out
and just as he was beginning to speab
in serious Ieproof of their daring
scheme the door opened and Ruth
came in To the surprise of everyone
| her arms were piled high with fire.
crackers. She flung them impulsivei!
on the floor at the boys feet, and ex'
claimed, in defiance: There are youl
| hateful old firecrackers"
At first all present were amazed
then a look of contempt overspreat
| the boys faces such as would have
been study for a painter. The pro
fessor spoke gravely:
| "Why Ruth. you ought not to havs
| taken the boys crackers. If you knew
| that their plan was a dangerous one
you should have told me about it"
81 wouldn't be a tale-bearer. Shs
raised her head proudly. Il did it be.
cause they wouldn't let me be in it.
The professor hardly knew what tc
say. for the scheme of the boys hat
been a dangerous one, and it was wei
| that it had been interrupted; yet Rutf
| had done q wrong thing to take tht
crackers as she had. He explained tt
the boys what serious thing they hat
planned, what harm it might have
done, and added:
Here are your crackers. Go, fire
| them in the time-honored way; am
don't let me hear of any more such en-
terprises as this" Then he smiled
And. boys, you must learn sooner o.
klater that you cannot outwit woman
be she little or big"
The boys, crestfallen at~so common
place conclusion TO their daring plot
filed out, the crackers in their arms
The professor was left alone will
Ruth to point out to her the error O.
her ways.
Now. let me conclude with LITTLE
secret which must be kept just be
tween ourselves. Come, let me whis
per in your ear. Since then, Professor
Gray himself has been little more
careful about the kind of historical
incidents which he relates just before
the Fourth of July-Christian Work.