one

   awfully good noise, anyhow."

   "To-night we'll go down to the Square and see the big fireworks," said Daddy Bunker, for the town of Pineville was old-fashioned enough to have a Fourth-of-July celebration.

   "And you said we could have ice cream and cake this afternoon," said Rose to her mother.

   "Yes, I did," agreed Mrs. Bunker. "Norah is freezing the cream now, and she made the cake yesterday."

   "Oh, goody!" cried Laddie, clapping his

   hands. "Ice cream and cake. Is it chocolate cake, Mother?" he asked.

   "I don't know—you'll have to ask Norah," was the answer.

   "Come on, let's!" said Rose, and they ran around to the kitchen door, looking in where the good-natured cook was busy with pots and pans.

   "Chocolate cake is it? Sure it's

    both

   kinds," Norah answered with a laugh. "It's regular thunder-and-lightning cake—you wait an' see!"

   "Thunder-and-lightning cake! Oh, what kind is that?" asked Rose.

   "Maybe it's a riddle," suggested Laddie.

   "Oh, you're always thinking about riddles!" exclaimed Russ. "Come on, let's go out to the barn and have some fun in the hay," for Mr. Bunker kept a horse for driving customers about to look at real estate.

   "What kind of fun can we have?" asked Vi.

   "Come on, and you'll see," returned Russ.

   By this time most of their fireworks had been shot off, though Daddy Bunker had insisted that they save a few for afternoon.

   And, making sure that the children did not have smoldering pieces of punk, which might set the barn on fire, Mrs. Bunker watched the six little tots run out there to have fun.

   "Have you heard anything about the papers the tramp carried away in your old coat?" she asked her husband, 

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