"Why, that's easy!" cried Phil. "After a ro----Say, Shadow, what do you mean, did they quarrel or row the boat first?" "Maybe they rowed the boat twice," suggested Roger, with a grin. "Or had two quarrels," suggested Luke. And then a general laugh went up. "You've got us this time, Shadow!" cried Dave. "Give him a lemon, somebody, for a prize," and then another laugh went up. "That idea of an Oak Hall Club is a good one," said Luke. "But you can't organize it now--the fellows are too scattered." "Oh, I was thinking we might do it later on--perhaps this winter," answered Dave. The newcomers were much interested in what Dave, Phil, and Roger had to tell about Job Haskers and Link Merwell, and various were the opinions advanced as to what had become of the pair. "They are both mighty sore, because they had to leave Oak Hall in disgrace," said Luke. "Every one of us had better keep his eye peeled, for they'll make trouble if they get half a chance." And then the bell rang for dinner and the boys went downstairs. The next day the lads were all busy getting ready for the Fourth of July. It had been arranged that they should have quite a display of fireworks on the lawn of the senator's home, and many folks of that vicinity were invited to attend. "Here is Buster Beggs!" cried Roger, that evening, and the youth who was so fat and jolly hove in sight, suit-case in hand. He shook hands all around and was speedily made to feel at home. "Glad you are going to have fireworks," he said to Roger. "I don't care much for noise on the Fourth, but I dote on fireworks. Let me set some of 'em off, won't you?" "Of course," was Roger's reply. "We boys are going to give the exhibition, while the older folks, and the girls, look on." "But we are going to have a little noise--at sunrise," put in Phil. "What kind of noise--a cannon?" "No, some firecrackers." "Oh, that will be all right," answered Buster, thinking the firecrackers were to be of ordinary size. So they were--all but one. But that one was a monster--the largest Phil and Roger had been able to buy. They had not told the others about this big fellow, not even Dave, for they wanted the explosion of that to be a surprise. "It will sure make them sit up and take notice," said Phil to Roger, as the pair hid the big cannon cracker away in the automobile garage. "We'll set it off back of the kitchen," answered Roger. "It won't do any harm there." On the night of the third the boys retired somewhat early, so as to be up bright and early for the glorious Fourth. They had been sleeping less than an hour when a sudden cry awakened them. "Fire! Fire! Get up, boys! The garage is on fire, and I am afraid the gasoline tank will blow up!" CHAPTER VIII FIRE AND FIRECRACKERS "What's that!" "The garage on fire!" "Say, look at the blaze!" Such were some of the cries, as the boys tumbled out of bed, one after another. A bright glare of fire was dancing over the walls of the rooms.