too crazy with our success. It's true that we've done our town credit
today, and made old Joe Hooker happier than he's been for years,
because he believed in us to the end; but let's hold ourselves in
some."

"It only happens once a year, as a rule, Jack," said Toby Hopkins,
exultantly; "and my stars! we've just _got_ to blow off steam after
that great time, or bust, that's all."

Later on, after night had fully set in, the racket commenced. Small
boys began to set off firecrackers and Fourth of July pistols loaded
with blanks. Here and there the first bonfires started, until one
could hardly look up and down any street in Chester without
discovering one or more burning, with a host of busy little stokers
clustering around, and adding fresh fuel to the flames as new stores
were brought in by industrious scouts and raiders. It was a wise
citizen who, having an ash barrel setting in his yard, had had the
forethought to remove it to a place of safety; for the chances were
decidedly against its being found in its accustomed spot when dawn
came along.

Jack met Big Bob while on his way to the appointed rendezvous of the
football boys, where smiling Joe Hooker had also agreed to join them
for the parade. Indeed, he had a suspicion that Bob had come out of
his way in the hope of finding him at home. This was proven by the
first words the other spoke.

"Well, this is luck, Jack," said Bob, as he saw, by the light of a
street lamp, whom he had run across. "I was on my way around to make
sure you'd come out and join the boys. Then, again, I just wanted to