The leader., 1904-07-02

an would be over. Tho building, and
the members of parliament, supposed
to be seated inside, would only be s
memory. None OF the 1--WE said word
and each held his breath in expecta.
tion of the terrific crash.
Its coming nowi" shouted Frank
as they heard the report Of one small
tirecraclSer.
But It didn't come as fast as they
expected.
1T takes awful long" Clarence said
in discouraged tone.
Yes, 1t did take very long time.
Five minutes passed, in fact, and still
no greater sound had they heard than
the one small cracker.
What's the matter with the thing?"
said one boy. U
Maybe the rope was tangled up In
side," suggested Frank.
mo it wasn't, either" answered an
other in disgust.
you were here first, C1iff. Didn't
you go in and look at things to see IL
they were all right?"
81 looked just before started down
to see the procession and / didn't havs
time to look again after came back
before you got here"
Say, boys, somebody's been nod
ding, think" said Frank.
''oh, pshaw! I don't. It'll go OF yet"
Clarence persisted.
well, 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 Guy
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 kind
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
fireeracker to be seen, and instead.
there lay the end of the burn rope in a
pail of water. Clifford stepped back
and beckoned to the other boys. Ho
was literally speechless. When all had
taken 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 as
to the probable perpetrators of the
trick The professor heard them out.
and just as he was beginning to speab
in serious reproof 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 impulsiveiy
on the floor at the boys feet, and ex.
claimed, in defiance: There are your
hatefdI old firecrackers!"
At first all present were amazed,
then a look of contempt overspread
the boys faces such as would have
been study for painter. The pro-
fessor spoke gravely:
why, Ruth, you ought not to have
taken the boys crackers. If you knew
that their plan was dangerous one
you should have told me about it."
81 wouldn't be a tale-bearer" She
raised her head proudly. 81 did it be.
cause they wouldn't let me be in it."
! The professor hardly knew what to-
say, for the scheme of the boys had
been dangerous one, and it was well
that it had been interrupted; yet Ruth
had done wrong thing to take the
crackers as she had. He explained to
the boys what serious thing they had
planned, what harm it might haYs
done, and added:
"Here are your crackers. Go, fire
them in the time-honored way, and
don't let me hear of any more such en-
| terprises as this" Then he smiled.
"And, boys, you must learn sooner or
later 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 with
Ruth to point out to her the error Of
her ways.
Now, let me conclude with a 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.
l. II