se the uniform--"

"I shall not be displeased at your choosing whatever you like best,"
said Mr. Gresham.

"Well, then, thank you, Sir, I think I had better have the uniform,
because if I have not the uniform now directly it will be of no use to
me, as the archery meeting is the week after next, you know; and as to
the great-coat, perhaps, between this time and the _very_ cold weather,
which, perhaps, won't be till Christmas, Papa will buy a great-coat for
me; and I'll ask Mamma to give me some pocket-money to give away, and
she will perhaps."

To all this conclusive conditional reasoning, which depended upon
_perhaps_, three times repeated, Mr. Gresham made no reply; but he
immediately bought the uniform for Hal, and desired that it should be
sent to Lady Diana Sweepstakes' sons' tailor, to be made up. The measure
of Hal's happiness was now complete.

"And how am I to lay out the three guineas for you, Ben?" said Mr.
Gresham. "Speak, what do you wish for first?"

"A great-coat, Uncle, if you please."

Mr. Gresham bought the coat; and after it was paid for, five-and-twenty
shillings of Ben's three guineas remained.

"What's next, my boy?" said his uncle.

"Arrows, Uncle, if you please: three arrows."

"My dear, I promised you a bow and arrows."

"No, Uncle, you only said a bow."

"Well, I meant a bow and arrows. I'm glad you are so exact, however. It
is better to claim less than more than what is promised. The three
arrows you shall have. But go on: how shall I dispose of these
five-and-twenty shillings for you?"

"In clothes, if you will be so good, Uncle, for that poor boy, who has
the great black patch on his eye."

"I always believed," said Mr. Gresham, shaking hands with Ben, "that
economy and generosity were the best friends, instead of being enemies,
as some silly, extravagant people would have us think them. Choose the
poor blind boy's coat, my dear nephew, and pay for it. There's no
occasion for my praising you about the matter; your best reward is in
your own mind, child; and you want no other, or I'm mistaken. Now jump
into the coach, boys, and let's be off. We shall be late, I'm afraid,"
continued he, as the coach drove on; "but I must let you stop, Ben, with
your goods, at the poor boy's door."

When they came to the house, Mr. Gresham opened the coach door, and Ben
jumped out with his parcel under his arm.

"Stay, stay! you must take me with you," said his pleased uncle; "I like
to see