“Did it wake you up?” cried Tom.
“It made me bounce right out of bed!” declared Nellie. “I thought I was shot.”
“I thought the house had been hit,” said Dora.
“Did your cannon burst?” questioned Grace, as she appeared beside Nellie.
“Not a bit of it!” declared Tom. “Just listen, while we fire another shot.”
“Oh, Tom, wait till I put some cotton in my ears!” cried Mrs. Rover, as she showed herself, followed by the others.
“Boys, you didn’t shoot off anything in the cannon, did you?” asked Randolph Rover, nervously.
“Nothing but powder and paper, Uncle,” answered Sam.
“That ain’t so!” suddenly shouted Jack Ness. “By gum! You hit the bee hive, an’ here come the bees! Gee, shoo! Git out! Oh, my! I’m stung!” And he started to run from the orchard.
The boys stared for a moment. Down in the orchard was the hive which their uncle had set apart from the others. It seemed to be torn at the top, and a swarm of angry bees were flying around. Part of the swarm had made for Jack Ness, and now the hired man was running for his life.