Never before had such a parade been seen in the little country place, and all along the road cheer after cheer greeted our young friends, for even the few old soldiers who lived in Meadow Brook enjoyed the children's Fourth of July fun.
By lunch time the procession had covered all the ground planned, so from the postoffice the cadets and regulars started back over the shady country road.
And at home they found a surprise awaiting them! Ice cream on the lawn for everybody in the parade.
Aunt Sarah and Uncle Daniel had set out all the garden benches, and with the two kinds of ice cream made by Dinah and Martha, besides the cookies and jumbles Aunt Sarah supplied, with ice-cold lemonade that John passed around, surely the tired little soldiers and cadets had splendid refreshment!
"My goat almost runned away!" lisped Freddie. "But I held on tight like a real fireman.""And mine wanted to stop and eat grass in the middle of the big parade," Roy told them.
"Now eat up your ice cream. Nettie, have some more? Jack, you surely need two plates after carrying that bear skin," said Uncle Daniel.
The youngsters did not have to be urged to eat some more of the good things, and so it took quite a while to "finish up the rations," as Uncle Daniel said.
"They're goin' to shoot the old cannon off, father," Harry told Uncle Daniel, "and we're all going over on the pond bank to see them, at three o'clock.""They're foolish to put powder in that old cracked gun," remarked Uncle Daniel. "Take care, if you go over, that you all keep at a safe distance."It was not long until three o'clock, and then when all the red-white- and- blue things had been stored away for another year, the boys hurried off to see Peter Burns fire the old cannon.
Quite a crowd of people had gathered about the pond bank, which was a high green wall like that which surrounds a reservoir.
Peter was busy stuffing the powder in the old gun, and all the others looked on anxiously.
"Let's go up in that big limb of the willow tree," suggested Bert. "We can see it all then, and be out of range of the fire."So the boys climbed up in the low willow, that leaned over the pond bank.
"They're almost ready," Harry said, seeing the crowd scatter.
"Look out!" yelled Peter, getting hold of the long string that would fire the gun.
Peter gave it a tug, then another.
Everybody held their breath, expecting to hear an awful bang, but the gun didn't go off.
Very cautiously Peter stepped nearer the cannon to see what might be the matter, when the next instant with a terrific report the whole cannon flew up in the air!
Peter fell back!His hat seemed to go up with the gun! "Oh, he's killed!" yelled the people.
"Poor Peter!" gasped Harry.
"He ought to know better!" said Mr. Mason.
"Father said that cannon was dangerous," Harry added.
By this time the crowd had surrounded Peter, who lay so still and looked so white. The Bobbsey boys climbed down from the tree and joined the others.
"He's only unconscious from the shock," spoke up Mr. Mason, who was leaning down very close to Peter. "Stand back, and give him air."The crowd fell back now, and some of the boys looked around to find the pieces of cannon.
"Don't touch it," said Tom Mason, as a little fellow attempted to pick up a piece of the old gun. "There might be powder in it half lighted."Mrs. Burns had run over from her home at the report of the accident, and she was now bathing Peter's face with water from the pond.
"He's subject to fainting spells," she told the frightened people, "and Ithink he'll be all right when he comes to."Peter looked around, then he sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Did it go off?" he smiled, remembering the big report.
