, "I only wish Dolly could have seen me in it, and
her aunt Charlotte. My own things were too ragged for me to wear 'em in a
place like this."

"They've given it to you, Antony," replied Mr. Ross, "those are the
clothes you will go home in to-morrow."

It seemed too much for Tony to believe, though a nurse who was sitting by
and sewing away busily, told him it was quite true. He was intensely
happy all the rest of the day, often standing up, and almost straining
his neck to get a satisfactory view of his own back, and stroking the nap
of his blue trousers with a fondling touch. They would all see him in it;
old Oliver, Dolly, and aunt Charlotte. There would be no question now as
to his fitness for taking Dolly out for a walk; he would be dressed well
enough to attend upon a princess. This made famous amends for the pair
of old boots he had lost the night he broke his leg; a loss he had often
silently lamented over in his own mind. The nurse told him she was
patching up his old clothes, and making him a cap, to wear when he was at
work on his crossing, for the new ones were much too good for that; and
Tony felt as rich as if a large fortune had been left to him.

It was a very joyful thing to go home again. Dolly was a little shy at
first of this new Tony, so different from the poor, ragged, wild-looking
old Tony; but a very short time was enough to make her familiar with his
nice blue suit, and the anchor-buttons upon it. He found his place under
the counter all nicely papered to keep the draughts out; and a little
chaff mattress, made by aunt Charlotte, laid down instead of the shavings
upon the floor. It was even pleasanter to be here than in the hospital.

But Tony found it hard work to go back to his crossing in the morning;
and he could not make out what was the matter with himself, he felt so
cross and idle. His old clothes seemed really such horrid rags that he
could scarcely bear to feel them about him; and if any passer-by looked
closely at him, he went red and hot all over. He was not so successful
as he thought he had been before his accident, or as he thought he ought
to be; for the roads were getting cleaner with the drier weather, and few
persons considered it necessary to give him a copper for his almost
needless labour. Worst of all,--Clever Dog Tom found him out, and would
come often to see him; sometimes jeering him for his poor spirit in being
content with such low work, and sometimes boasting of th