"I don't think that owner will show himself again," he said. "If he does I'll take care of him." The man was never heard of; and that ended the affair. "We had a splendid time anyway," declared Grace, and the other girls agreed with her. Tom had not forgotten about his fireworks, and after supper he invited the crowd to the deck and gave them quite an exhibition. "Here, Hans, you can set off this Roman candle," he said, presently. "Show the ladies how nicely you can do it. But take off your coat and roll up your shirt sleeve before you begin," he added, with a dig into Sam's ribs, which meant, "watch for fun." Quite innocently the German lad took off his coat and rolled his shirt sleeve up over his elbow. Then he took the big Roman candle and lit it. "Now swing it around lively," cried Tom, and Hans began to describe little circles with the Roman candle. Soon the sparks began to pour forth, and not a few came down on the bare wrist and forearm. "Ouch! ouch!" yelled Hans, dancing around. "_Ach du meine zeit!_ Say, somepody sthop dot! I vos purn mineselluf ub alretty!" "Swing it around quicker!" cried Dick. "Turn it in the shape of a figure eight!" suggested Fred. "Loop the loop with it," came from Sam. Around and around went the Roman candle and then bang! out shot a ball, hitting one of the masts of the steam yacht. Then bang! went another ball, hitting the top of the cabin. "Hold it up straighter, Hans!" said Songbird. "Don't shoot somebody." "If I hold him ub I burn mineselluf worser!" groaned the German youth. "Here, you dake him, Sam, I got enough." "No, no, Hans, I won't deprive you of the pleasure of shooting it off," answered the youngest Rover, and skipped out of the way. [Illustration: HANS WAS HOPPING AROUND LIKE A MADMAN.] One after another the balls, red, white and blue, poured from the Roman candle. It was a pretty sight, but Hans' aim was more than bad, and one hit the bow and another the stern, while a third whizzed past Dick's ear. In the meantime Hans was hopping around like a madman, trying to keep the sparks from his skin. "Throw it overboard!" cried Mr. Rover, who was enjoying the fun, but who was afraid somebody might get a fire ball in the face. "Only a few more balls left," said Tom. "Hans, try to hit the top of the mast--don't point it downward." The German youth was too excited to listen to the advice. He continued to dance around. Bang! went another ball and entered the cabin of the steam yacht. Bang! came the final one and that too disappeared into the interior of the craft Then the Roman candle went out, and Hans breathed a sigh of relief. "I vos glat dot is ofer," he said. "No more firevorks for me, not on your kollarbuttons, no!" "I hope they didn't do any damage in the cabin----" began Mrs. Stanhope anxiously, when there came a cry from Aleck Pop. "Stop dat fire from comin' down!" yelled the colored man. "De hull cabin's in a blaze!" CHAPTER XV THE SAILING OF THE STEAM YACHT