"By thunder!" he gasped. "Is thet a cannon bustin'?"
The crackers continued to go off, and poor Sammy leaped around worse than ever.
"Say, mister, what's up?" he asked of a man who was laughing loudly.
"Look behind you," answered the man.
Sammy did so. One look was enough. He began to bellow like a bull and started off on a run, knocking down several people who happened to be in his way. At last a police officer stopped him.
"What do you mean by making such a disturbance?" demanded the officer.
"I'm burning up! I'm exploding! Don't you hear me?" gasped poor Sammy.
"Pooh! It's only fire-crackers," and the policeman smiled faintly.
"Take 'em off, mister, please do!" pleaded Sammy. "I'll give you ten cents for the job!"
"They are about burned out," answered the officer, as the last firecracker went off with an extra loud bang. "You are safe. Go along with you." And he waved his stick. Sammy lost no time in sneaking off. The boy who had played the trick had a good laugh and so did his companion.