impelled to believe either that the gentleman in question was himself
ignorant of the double meaning of the word or that he deliberately
conspired within himself to cast ridicule not only on me but on the band
of which his own son was a devoted adherent.

Be that as it may, our next meeting was set for that evening one week
thence, at which time I promised my youthful followers I would appear
before them with colour plates of the costume selected by me for wear on
our outings; and also that I would bring all requisite information
regarding the proper methods of marching, camping, and so on.

Herein I practised some small measure of deceit, for the costume itself
was already fully designed and a copy of it, intended for my own use,
was nearing completion in competent hands; but I purposely withheld that
information, intending to come before them properly accoutred as a happy
surprise, as it were.

In my hours of leisure I had given no little thought to this matter, and
finally enlisted the assistance of Miss Dorothea Peebles, who is well
known as a member of our parish, and also does plain sewing and
dressmaking. I called on Miss Peebles and explained to her the
situation; and after an hour spent in conference we devised a garb that
seemed to both of us eminently suited to the needs to which it would be
put.

At the outset of our interview certain small differences of opinion
asserted themselves. Miss Peebles' original suggestion of a modification
of what she called the Little Lord Fauntleroy suit, to be constructed of
black velvet with a flowing sash and lace cuffs, hardly seemed adapted
to our purpose. I was also impelled gently to veto her next notion,
which was for a replica of the apparel commonly attributed to the
personage known as Robin Hood and his deluded adherents. As I was at
some pains to elucidate for her understanding, I could never countenance
any recognition, however remote, of an individual of the type of Robin
Hood, who, however noble and generous he may have been in certain
aspects, was beyond peradventure a person of uncertain moral character.

Furthermore, the colour favoured by her--hunter's green--though of a
harmonious tint as regards the prevalent tone of the forest glades
wherein we counted on roaming in a care-free manner, was by reason of
its very name inappropriate, since in a carnal sense we should not be
hunters at all, meaning to woo the wild creatures by acts of kindness
rather th