Mabel," Mr. Penfold went on. "I am
afraid that respect is one of the moral qualities in which you are
deficient. Still I think that when you see Ralph in his uniform, you
will be struck with awe."

"I don't think so," Mabel said, shaking her head. "I don't think he
will frighten me, and I feel almost sure that he won't frighten the
Frenchmen."

"My dear child," Mr. Penfold said gravely, "you don't know what Ralph
is going to turn out yet. When you see him come back from the wars
seven or eight inches taller than he is now, with great whiskers, and
perhaps three or four ornamental scars on his face, you will be quite
shocked when you reflect that you once treated this warrior as a
playfellow."

Upon the following day the party went up to London, and were joined
next morning by Mr. and Mrs. Withers. Mabel declared that she did not
think any people ever could have enjoyed themselves so much as they
all did. They went to Exeter 'Change to see the animals and to the
theater at Drury Lane, to the Tower and Ranelagh Gardens, to
Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's, and they went down by coach to
Hampton Court and to Greenwich, and they saw his majesty the king
review the Guards in Hyde Park. Altogether it was a glorious
fortnight. Mr. Penfold was the life and soul of the party, and had he
had his way they would have seen far more than they did. But Mr. and
Mrs. Withers and Mrs. Conway all said that they wanted to enjoy
themselves and not to be worn out, and several times they stayed at
home when Mr. Penfold and the two young people went to see sights, or
to wander about the streets and look at the shops, which was as great
a treat as any thing. Mr. Penfold went with Ralph to a military tailor
and ordered his outfit, and to other shops, where he purchased such a
stock of other garments that Mrs. Conway declared Ralph would require
nothing for years. On the last day of the fortnight the uniforms and
trunks and clothes all arrived at the hotel, and of course Ralph had
to dress up and buckle on his sword for the first time. Mrs. Conway
shed a few tears, and would have shed more had not Mr. Penfold made
every one laugh so; and Mabel was seized with a fit of shyness for the
first time in her life when Mr. Penfold insisted that the ladies
should all kiss the young officer in honor of the occasion. And the
next morning the whole party went down to the wharf below London
Bridge to see Ralph on board the packet for Cork. Before leaving