-day; for I've
a notion it will be rather cold upon the Downs, especially when we are
standing still, as we must, while all the people are shooting."

"Oh, never mind! I don't think I shall feel it cold at all," said Hal,
as he dressed himself in his new white and green uniform: and he viewed
himself with much complacency.

"Good morning to you, Uncle; how do you do?" said he, in a voice of
exultation, when he entered the breakfast-room.

How do you do? seemed rather to mean, How do you like me in my uniform?

And his uncle's cool, "Very well, I thank you, Hal," disappointed him,
as it seemed only to say, "Your uniform makes no difference in my
opinion of you."

Even little Patty went on eating her breakfast much as usual, and talked
of the pleasure of walking with her father to the Downs, and of all the
little things which interested her; so that Hal's epaulettes were not
the principal object in any one's imagination but his own.

"Papa," said Patty, "as we go up the hill where there is so much red
mud, I must take care to pick my way nicely; and I must hold up my
frock, as you desired me; and perhaps you will be so good, if I am not
troublesome, to lift me over the very bad place where there are no
stepping-stones. My ankle is entirely well, and I'm glad of that, or
else I should not be able to walk so far as the Downs. How good you were
to me, Ben, when I was in pain, the day I sprained my ankle! You played
at jack-straws, and at cat's-cradle with me. Oh, that puts me in
mind--Here are your gloves, which I asked you that night to let me mend.
I've been a great while about them, but are not they very neatly mended,
Papa? Look at the sewing."

"I am not a very good judge of sewing, my dear little girl," said Mr.
Gresham, examining the work with a close and scrupulous eye; "but in my
opinion, here is one stitch that is rather too long; the white teeth are
not quite even."

"O Papa, I'll take out that long tooth in a minute," said Patty
laughing; "I did not think that you would have observed it so soon."

"I would not have you trust to my blindness," said her father, stroking
her head fondly: "I observe everything. I observe, for instance, that
you are a grateful little girl, and that you are glad to be of use to
those who have been kind to you; and for this I forgive you the long
stitch."

"But it's out, it's out, Papa," said Patty; "and the next time your
gloves want mending, Ben, I'll mend them better."