Tired teacher had dismissed them for eight wholeweeks, and gone away to rest; the little school-housewas shut up, lessons were over, spirits rising fast,and vacation had begun. The quiet town seemedsuddenly inundated with children, all in such arampant state that busy mothers wondered how theyever should be able to keep their frisky darlings outof mischief; thrifty fathers planned how they couldbribe the idle hands to pick berries or rake hay; andthe old folks, while wishing the young folks well,secretly blessed the man who invented schools.

 

　　The girls immediately began to talk about picnics,and have them, too; for little hats sprung up in thefields like a new sort of mushroom, -- every hillsidebloomed with gay gowns, looking as if the flowershad gone out for a walk; and the woods were full offeatherless birds chirping away as blithely as thethrushes, robins, and wrens.

 

　　The boys took to base-ball like ducks to water,and the common was the scene of tremendous battles,waged with much tumult, but little bloodshed. Tothe uninitiated, it appeared as if these young menhad lost their wits; for, no matter how warm it was,there they were, tearing about in the maddest mannet,jackets off, sleeves rolled up, queer caps flung onany way, all batting shabby leather balls, and catchingthe same, as if their lives depended on it. Everyone talking in his gruffest tone, bawling at the top ofhis voice, squabbling over every point of the game,and seeming to enjoy himself immensely, in spiteof the heat, dust, uproar, and imminent danger ofgetting eyes or teeth knocked out.

 

　　Thorny was an excellent player, but, not beingstrong enough to show his prowess, he made Benhis proxy; and, sitting on the fence, acted as umpireto his heart's content. Ben was a promising pupil,and made rapid progress; for eye, foot, and handhad been so well trained, that they did him goodservice now; and Brown was considered a first-rate"catcher".

 

　　Sancho distinguished himself by his skill in huntingup stray balls, and guarding jackets when notneeded, with the air of one of the Old Guard on dutyat the tomb of Napoleon. Bab also longed to joinin the fun, which suited her better than "stupid picnics"or "fussing over dolls;" but her heroes would nothave her at any price; and she was obliged to contentherself with sitting by Thorny, and watchingwith breathless interest the varying fortunes of "ourside."A grand match was planned for the Fourth ofJuly; but when the club met, things were found tobe unpropitious. Thorny had gone out of town withhis sister to pass the day, two of the best players didnot appear, and the others were somewhat exhaustedby the festivities, which began at sunrise for them.

 

　　So they lay about on the grass in the shade of thebig elm, languidly discussing their various wrongsand disappointments.

 

　　"It's the meanest Fourth I ever saw. Can't haveno crackers, because somebody's horse got scaredlast year," growled Sam Kitteridge, bitterly resentingthe stern edict which forbade feee-born citizens toburn as much gunpowder as they liked on that gloriousday.

 

　　"Last year Jimmy got his arm blown off whenthey fired the old cannon. Didn't we have a livelytime going for the doctors and getting him home?"asked another boy, looking as if he felt defrauded ofthe most interesting part of the anniversary, becauseno accident had occurred.

 

　　"Ain't going to be fireworks either, unless somebody'sbarn burns up. Don't I just wish there would,:

 

　　gloomily responded another youth who had so rashlyindulged in pyrotechnics on a former occasion that aneighbor's cow had been roasted whole.

 

　　"I wouldn't give two cents for such a slow oldplace as this. Why, last Fourth at this time, I wasrumbling thiough Boston streets on top of our bigcar, all in my best toggery. Ht as pepper, butgood fun looking in at the upper windows and hearingthe women scream when the old thing waggledround and I made believe I was going to tumble off,said Ben, leaning on his bat with the air of a manwho had seen the world and felt some natural regretat descending from so lofty a sphere.

 

　　"Catch me cuttin, away if I had such a chanceas that!" answered Sam, trying to balance his bat onhis chin and getting a smart rap across the nose as hefailed to perform the feat.

 

　　"Much you know about it, old chap. It's hardwork, I can tell you, and that wouldn't suit such alazy-bones. Then you are too big to begin, though youmight do for a fat boy if Smithers wanted one," saidBen, surveying the stout youth, with calm contempt.

 

　　"Let's go in swimming, not loaf round here, if wecan't play," proposed a red and shiny boy, pantingfor a game of leap-frog in Sandy pond.

 

　　"May as well; don't see much else to do," sighedSam, rising like a young elephant.

 

　　The others were about to follow, when a shrill " Hi,hi, boys, hold on!" made them turn about to beholdBilly Barton tearing down the street like a runawaycolt, waving a long strip of paper as he ran.

 

　　"Now, then, what's the matter? " demanded Ben,as the other came up grinning and puffing, but fullof great news.

 

　　"Look here, read it! I'm going; come along,the whole of you," panted Billy, putting the paperinto Sam's hand, and surveying the crowd with a faceas beaming as a full moon.

 

　　"Look out for the big show," read Sam. "VanAmburgh & Co.'s New Great Golden Menagerie, Circusand Colosseum, will exhibit at Berryville, July4th, at 1 and 7 precisely. Admission 50 cents, chil-dren half-price. Don't forget day and date. H.

 

　　Frost, Manager."While Sam read, the other boys had been gloatingover the enticing pictures which covered the bill.

 

　　There was the golden car, filled with noble beings inhelmits, all playing on immense trumpets; the twenty-four prancing steeds with manes, tails, and featheredheads tossing in the breeze; the clowns, the tumblers,the strong men, and the riders flying about in the airas if the laws of gravitation no longer existed. But,best of all, was the grand conglomeration of animalswhere the giraffe appears to stand on the elephant'sback, the zebra to be jumping over the seal, the hippopotamusto be lunching off a couple of crocodiles,and lions and tigers to be raining down in all directionswith their mouths, wide open and their tails as stiff asthat of the famous Northumberland House lion.

 

　　"Cricky! wouldn't I like to see that," said littleCyrus Fay, devoutly hoping that the cage, in whichthis pleasing spectacle took place, was a very strongone.

 

　　"You never would, it's only a picture! That,now, is something like," and Ben, who had prickedup his ears at the word "circus," laid his finger on asmaller cut of a man hanging by the back of his neckwith a child in each hand, two men suspended fromhis feet, and the third swinging forward to alight onhis head.

 

　　"I 'm going," said Sam, with calm decision, for thissuperb array of unknown pleasures fired his soul andmade him forget his weight.

 

　　"How will you fix it?" asked Ben, fingering thebill with a nervous thrill all through his wiry limbs,just as he used to feel it when his father caught himup to dash into the ring.

 

　　"Foot it with Billy. It's only four miles, andwe've got lots of time, so we can take it easy. Motherwon't care, if I send word by Cy," answered Sam, producinghalf a dollar, as if such magnificent sums wereno strangers to his pocket.

 

　　"Come on, Brown; you'll be a first-rate fellow toshow us round, as you know all the dodges," saidBilly, anxious to get his money's worth.

 

　　"Well, I don't know," began Ben, longing to go,but afraid Mrs. Moss would say "No!" if he askedleave.

 

　　"He's afraid," sneered the red-faced boy, who feltbitterly toward all mankind at that instant, becausehe knew there was no hope of his going.

 

　　"Say that again, and I'll knock your head off,"and Ben faced round with a gesture which caused theother to skip out of reach precipitately.

 

　　"Hasn't got any money, more likely," observed ashabby youth, whose pockets never had any thing inthem but a pair of dirty hands.

 

　　Ben calmly produced a dollar bill and waved itdefiantly before this doubter, observing with dignity:

 

　　"I've got money enough to treat the whole crowd,if I choose to, which I don't.""Then come along and have a jolly time with Samand me. We can buy some dinner and get a ridehome, as like as not," said the amiable Billy, witha slap on the shoulder, and a cordial grin which madeit impossible for Ben to resist.

 

　　"What are you stopping for?" demanded Sam,ready to be off, that they might "take it rasy.""Don't know what to do with Sancho. He'll getlost or stolen if I take him, and it's too far to carryhim home if you are in a hurry," began Ben, persuadinghimself that this was the true reason of his delay.

 

　　"Let Cy take him back. He'll do it for a cent;won't you, Cy?" proposed Billy, smoothing away allobjections, for he liked Ben, and saw that he wantedto go.

 

　　"No, I won't; I don't like him. He winks at me,and growls when I touch him," muttered naughty Cy,remembering how much reason poor Sanch had todistrust his tormentor.

 

　　"There 's Bab; she'll do it. Come here, sissy;Ben wants you," called Sam, beckoning to a smallfigure just perching on the fence.

 

　　Down it jumped and Came fluttering up, muchelated at being summoned by the captain of thesacred nine.

 

　　"I want you to take Sanch home, and tell yourmother I'm going to walk, and may be won't be backtill sundown. Miss Celia said I Might do what Ipleased, all day. You remember, now."Ben spoke without looking up, and affected to bevery busy buckling a strap into Sanch's collar, for thetwo were so seldom parted that the dog always rebelled.

 

　　It was a mistake on Ben's part, for while his eyeswere on his work Bab's were devouring the bill whichSam still held, and her suspicions were aroused bythe boys' faces.

 

　　"Where are you going? Ma will want to know,"she said, as curious as a magpie all at once.

 

　　"Never you mind; girls can't know every thing.

 

　　You just catch hold of this and run along home.

 

　　Lock Sanch up for an hour, and tell your mother I'mall right," answered Ben, bound to assert his manlysupremacy before his mates.

 

　　"He's going to the circus," whispered Fay, hopingto make mischief.

 

　　"Circus! Oh, Ben, do take me!" cried Bab,falling into a state of great excitement at the merethought of such delight.

 

　　"You couldn't walk four miles," began Ben.

 

　　"Yes, I could, as easy as not.""You haven't got any money.""You have; I saw you showing your dollar, andyou could pay for me, and Ma would............