Larry was thus suddenly placed in a position he could not understand, and with the efforts of Job, he was taken to the speaker’s stand before he had fully recovered from his surprise. Then he looked around to find himself staring into the upturned faces of the crowd of amazed people. “Reel it off, Larry, jess as you did to me down in the hayfield t’other day, and you’ll s’prise ’em all--especially Lucy!” whispered Job, as he turned to go away. A moment later a few heard him say in a low tone to himself: “If this don’t make me even with Pluck Snyder, I’ll try ag’in!” The chairman of the occasion by this time had arisen, and not knowing personally the expected speaker, had begun to introduce the “orator” in glowing terms as “the gifted son of the rich Orestes Snyder, and the talented young lawyer of the silver tongue, destined to make his mark in the world,” and much more in that line, until he ended, and a breathless silence fell on the scene. Was ever one in such a situation as Larry at that moment? One of the committee whispered for him to rise and begin, while others half lifted him to his feet. He did not have either the courage or the presence of mind to explain the mistake that had been made, even if he really understood that one had been made. He simply did what seemed the only thing for him to do. He began to repeat his stolen “oration.” Larry’s voice rang out loud and clear, so that he caught the attention of his listeners at the very outset. Then, all feeling of fear and hesitation fled, fairly forgetting himself in his efforts, he went on with the patriotic address ringing with eloquent expression and beautiful descriptions. It was evident that the good people of Gainsboro were being highly pleased, and Larry Little, the impromptu orator, was soaring high in one of Pluto Snyder’s most labored periods, when that person’s voice broke on the hushed scene like a note sadly out of tune: “Here, you farm lunkhead! that’s my oration. Stop! I say, stop! before I have you arrested for stealing----” The rest was lost in the midst of the hubbub his words had created, while the irate speaker, fairly wild with anger and excitement, continued to push the crowd aside, while he rushed toward the platform. It was a scene which made that Fourth of July at Gainsboro memorable. CHAPTER XXIV. “HIDE ME SOMEWHERE!” “I tell you everybody says the old house is haunted, and only last night I heard awful cries and groans, so I didn’t dare to lie in bed till I went to sleep.” Chick uttered these words, and his manner showed that he believed what he said. Then Aunt Vinnie joined in, for it must be supposed that this conversation was taking place at home. “There, boy, that just agrees with what I’ve heerd. Only three nights ago I lay awake and listened to the most distracting cries you ever heerd. Seemed jess like a child crying when it began, and then it sounded like a grown person, to end off with a terrible scream, as if it were a ghost.”