"Can't describe it full length," laughed Bombs, "but one section of it is directing attention to the small boys' amusement on the Fourth of July. Conducted by himself they have discovered that it is not only dangerous but altogether insane, so they are seriously at work trying to construct a sane Fourth, which is to wind up with fireworks of such a splendid order as to indemnify the small boy for not being allowed to have a hand in letting them off. Of course this is where Pang will plot to come in with a ten or twenty thousand dollar piece." "Truly, this Fourth of July reform business is growing to be pretty wide, to reach as far as Chicago. They've got a new name tacked onto it though. '_Sane Fourth!_' Pretty good. You know I told you the other day you hadn't better go into Fourth of July trimmings too deep--most assuredly I did, Fons." "I don't intend to, Mr. Schwarmer. Historical pieces are my ambition; but that reminds me, I want to ask you something." "Out with it, my lad, you can't ask me anything I wouldn't be happy to answer, most assuredly you can't." "It's about Adelaide," said Bombs, in an assured tone. "I know you and father have talked of uniting your families. Of course she is young yet and I am not very aged; but I am old enough to entertain the idea; and what I want to ask of you is permission to talk to her about it. My father has written me that I am to go abroad for an extended trip--that is, after I have got through here and witnessed the reburning of Chicago. When I return I shall be quite a mature man and she will be a charming young lady, no doubt. You see what would be likely to happen; but I do not feel like going away without sounding the depths--getting a sort of a free-holder's lease--lest another fellow should come along and secure the prize. I think it well to look out for such matters ahead of time." "All right, Fons. I would like nothing better than to unite our families--consolidate them, so to speak. I believe in consolidations of that kind, I assure you I do, with my whole heart; but you'll have to do your own proposing. I'm a true Yankee on that head. I should never get Anglicised on that point if I should sail over to England every month. I assure you I shouldn't. You will have to do the straight thing. You needn't try to win her in a round-about way through me or her mamma. She's always had her head pretty much, and perhaps that's what makes her rather heady. She is honest, though, and has very strong notions of the right and the wrong of things. She often takes me to task for _not_ squaring my business concerns by the 'Golden Rule.' Probably she would do the same with her husband. Eh! Fons?" "I understand," replied Fons. "She's at the formative period now. She will have left off a great many of her notions in two or four years' time. Besides, I am not afraid of them even as they are."