"Never mind," he said; "we'd better go out-doors and forget about it. Let's play soldier. You and I'll be the Americans, and Brush can be the British."
Brush was the Newfoundland dog.
This plan suited Georgie, and he and Walter looked about for a red coat to put on Brush. They soon found Cousin Sarah's embroidered jacket, which they thought would do nicely. Then they went into the yard and coaxed Brush to be dressed up. He looked very funny when he stood on his hind-legs with the jacket buttoned around him.
"Now we must stand before him and present arms," said Georgie.
"Yes, and then I'll turn around quick, and fire a torpedo. Won't that frighten the old fellow?"
So, after presenting arms, Walter turned his back to the enemy, and threw a torpedo into the grass. Brush jumped after it, and in doing so he knocked both of the Americans to the ground. Walter was a little hurt, and he began to whimper, but Georgie helped him up, saying, "Don't you know that soldiers never cry?"
When the rest of the family came home, and found the ink spots in the parlor, and Cousin Sarah's jacket spoiled, they thought it was a poor plan to leave little boys to take care of themselves, even on the Fourth of July.