of buns would permit. Then there was a little speech-making.

"I understand," said the president, as he concluded his remarks, "that the
rights of one of our number have been interfered with. He has been
forbidden to fire off any more crackers, and must confine himself to
caps."

This announcement was followed by groans and hisses, even as thunder and
lightning come after the black summer cloud. The person who had lost his
freedom and been compelled to return to slavery was Charlie.

Aunt Stanshy had said to him at the dinner-table, "I don't want you to
fire any more crackers to-day."

Charlie's chin went down.

"Why?"

"Because there is danger of setting fire to something. The wind is warm
and dry."

Charlie's chin now went up.

"It was warm and dry, but the wind has just changed, and it is coming in
from the sea, and it is damp and misty."

"But, that wont put out fires."

Charlie's chin now dropped again and dropped to stay. He went up stairs
and, having a knack at rhyming, wrote a string of lines and put them in