fect buttonholes."

She plucked the buds and held them out.

"It's name," said she, "is _Liberty._"

CHAPTER XXVIII.

JUBILEE.

For the best part of a week before the great Day of Jubilee Cai and
'Bias toiled together and toiled with a will, erecting the framework of
a triumphal arch to span the roadway. Within-doors, in the intervals of
household duty, Mrs Bowldler measured, drew, and cut out a number of
capital letters in white linen, to be formed into a motto and sewn upon
red Turkey twill, while Palmerston industriously constructed and wired
gross upon gross of paper roses--an art in which he had been instructed
by Fancy, who had read all about it in a weekly newspaper, 'The Cosy
Hearth.' The two friends talked little to one another during those busy
June days. Strollers-by--and it had become an evening recreation in
Troy to stroll from one end of the town to the other and mark how things
were getting along for the 22nd--found Captain Hocken and Captain Hunken
ever at work but little disposed to chat; and as everyone knew of the
old quarrel, so everyone noted the reconciliation and marvelled how it
had come to pass. Even Mr Philp was baffled. Mr Philp, passing and
repassing many times a day, never missed to halt and attempt
conversation; with small result, however.

"It's a wonder to me," he grumbled at last, "how men of your age can
risk scramblin' about on ladders with your mouths constantly full o'
nails."

In the evenings they supped together. Mrs Bowldler had made free to
suggest this.

"Which," said Mrs Bowldler in magnificent anacoluthon, "if we see it as
we ought, this bein' no ordinary occasion, but in a manner of speakin'
one of Potentates and Powers and of our feelin's in connection
therewith; by which I allude to our beloved Queen, whom Gawd preserve!--
Gawd bless her! I say, and He _will_, too, from what I know of 'im--and
therefore deservin' of our yunited efforts; and, that bein' the case, it
would distinkly 'elp, from the point of view of the establishment
(meanin' Palmerston and me) if we (meanin' you, sir, and Captain Hunken)
could make it convenient to have our meals in common. . . . The early
Christians were not above it," she added. "Not they! Ho, not,--if I
may use the expression--by a long chalk!"

She contrived it so delicately that afterwards neither Cai nor 'Bias
could remember precisely at what date--whether on the Wednesday or on
the Thursday--they slipped back