In a few days the little town was dressed out with flags and wreaths, gay streamers and paper lanterns.
Marie and Germaine, who were staying at their Uncle Daboll's for the fête, were awakened at five o'clock on the opening day by a succession of terrific noises, which were set forth on the official programme as a "Salvo of Artillery."
They were soon dressed and out, but even at that early hour the whole town was astir. Later on the booths in the square opened up for business.
There was a merry-go-round, "flying horses" the children call them, with big pink pigs to ride on, and swings in the shape of boats, and a marvellous "wheel of fortune" for those who wanted to try their luck.
Germaine never tired of admiring what seemed to her the most beautiful things set out for sale.
Jean's great ambition was to hit some of the pipes in the shooting-gallery, and win a wonderful knife that contained everything from a corkscrew to a file.
The real gaiety, however, only began in the evening, when a torchlight procession marched up and down the main streets.
First came the "Salvo of Artillery" again, which, after all, was a very simple affair. A cartridge was placed on a paving-stone and struck with a big hammer. It made a tremendous noise, however, and everybody jumped, and Germaine put her fingers in her ears when she saw the hammer coming down.
Behind came men and boys carrying lighted paper lanterns, and then the band of the pompiers (the village fire department), and then more people, while all along the route was burned red and green fire. Lanterns and fairy lamps in front of the houses and around the square were lighted, and the band played on a platform near the booths for the young people to dance.