_Antwerp, N. Y., April, 1905._ CONTENTS CHAPTER. PAGE. Preface vii. I. The Cornwallis Cottage 13 II. The Round About Road to Schwarmer Mansion 22 III. The Alarm 33 IV. Risus Sardonicus 40 V. Insanity or Exile 49 VI. The Funny Fourth Racket on English Soil 57 VII. The Double Engagement 65 VIII. Dr. Muelenberg's Prescription 74 IX. The Bridal Trip 80 X. A Public Meeting--Statistics and Resolutions 87 XI. Appeal Instead of Prohibition 101 XII. A Good Celebration--Adelaide Schwarmer and Ruth's Dog 114 XIII. Alfonso Bombs' Pyrotechnics and Adelaide Schwarmer's Blame 126 XIV. Schwarmer's Threatened Arrest 140 XV. The Killsbury Women Arrest Themselves 148 XVI. The Effect of Ruth's Speech 160 XVII. The Query--Ruth's Dog Dombey Brings Her a Note 173 XVIII. Mr. Bombs' Disgust with Chicago and the Pyro-King's Plans 183 XIX. Schwarmer Does a Little Hustling on Adelaide's Account--A Fourth of July Bugle 193 XX. The Dedication of the Library 203 XXI. Adelaide Stays at Home with Her Father 213 XXII. A Wonderful Change in Killsbury 228 XXIII. Mr. Bombs Tells All He Knows About Laurens Cornwallis' Mysterious Death 238 Illustrations PAGE. Boston Harbor Style _Frontispiece._ The Funny Fourth Racket on English Soil 62 Going to Visit the President 82 "A Feast is Better than Firecrackers" 118 "Fire, Fire!" Cried a Voice 134 The Independence Day Horror at Killsbury CHAPTER I. THE CORNWALLIS COTTAGE. It was Independence Day. The sun rose gorgeously. The air was electric and inspiring. Blossoming plants were exhaling rare fragrance. The forests and rivers were palpitating with glad, soft sounds and gentle fervor. The birds were singing jubilantly, and various forms of living things were alert and antic. Yes, it was "Independence Day in the morning" as the Killsbury boys called it. It was full of glorious promise--the list of the dead and wounded had not as yet come in!