The powder was measured out and put in, and then this was followed by a wad of paper Sam brought from the kitchen. They rammed the paper in good and tight.
“Now, I guess she’s ready to set off,” said Tom.
“Tom, don’t you stand too close,” said Dick. “That cannon might explode. Light the slow match and then run behind a tree, or the corner of the piazza.”
“All right, Dick. But I don’t think she’ll explode,” was the reply.
“Hello, goin’ to fire her off, eh?” came a voice from the fence, and Jack Ness appeared.
“Yes, Jack,” answered Sam. “But keep still—we want to surprise the folks.”
“Good enough,” murmured the hired man. “You’ll do it right enough. Thet old cannon always was a snorter fer noise.” And he backed away towards the orchard to get behind a tree, out of the way of possible harm.
All being ready, Tom lit a match and applied it to the slow match of the cannon. Then he ran for the corner of the piazza, to join his brothers.
A few seconds passed—they seemed unusually long just then—but nothing happened.
“The slow match must have gone out,” murmured Tom.