The chums found it pretty hard to dismiss the stirring events of that eventful day from their minds. After supper they went out to the barn, and held a mutual discussion over the situation. They decided to tell everything to Mr. Sabine. Andy called his father out to the barn, and they had an interested auditor in the "club room," in the hay loft. Mr. Sabine rather curiously inspected, opened, and read the letter that Burt Noble had given Andy. His eyes brightened. Then his face became thoughtful, and he said: "This is a big piece of work, lads. I would like to know that plucky fellow who has put just the ammunition the cause needs into our hands. I will have to report this to the citizens' committee at once." Phil and Andy prepared to retire to rest at once, for they were tired out. For a long time, however, they sat on the edge of the bed talking about Burt Noble, the hidden gunpowder, and the events generally that seemed to show that they were approaching the crisis of truly-spirited times. Phil's mind was as well taken up with the discovery of the paper band taken from Jasper Bram's house and bearing the name of his father. Somehow, this fitted to the remarks concerning "documents," which Mr. Warrington had hinted Jasper Bram possessed, and which he had said involved quite a sum of money. "We'll have a great story to tell the club, eh, Phil?" remarked Andy. "Of course, we can't tell about the gunpowder, but--" "We'll be dreaming about gunpowder, if you don't turn in!" cried Phil. "Tumble in, now!" and he threw a pillow at Andy. It struck his active bed fellow and knocked him flat, but Andy suddenly sprang up. "Hark!" he cried sharply, "what was that?" Both listened intently, with the echoes of a dull but unusual explosion in their ears. Andy ran to the window. Phil was equally excited. "A musket shot," he began. "Musket shot, nothing!" retorted Andy, with great animation. "That was a cannon, and nothing else. Why, I know!" and Andy jumped for his clothes. "Know what?" demanded Phil, scrambling likewise into his garments with the activity of a wide-awake lad aroused by a fire alarm. "Old Silas Berks, Phil! Don't you remember what he told us to-day? That was his cannon we just heard. Can war have been declared--for that was Old Tom barking!" "Sure as you live!" shouted Phil in an extravagant state of excitement, and both boys dashed downstairs and out of the house. CHAPTER VII OLD BERKS' NEWS In the rash of the natural excitement of the moment, Phil Warrington did not realize for some time that they were taking a good deal for granted. Now, as they reached the street, he checked his speed and that of his companion with the sharp ejaculation: "Hold on, Andy--don't let us start out on a wild goose chase till we know what we are about." "What do you mean? Come ahead. You heard the old cannon, didn't you? Well, then, fly!" cried the irrepressible Andy.