"They are very nice, I think," said Ben, drawing them on; "and I am much
obliged to you. I was just wishing I had a pair of gloves to keep my
fingers warm to-day, for I never can shoot well when my hands are
numbed. Look, Hal--you know how ragged these gloves were; you said they
were good for nothing but to throw away; now look, there's not a hole in
them," said he, spreading his fingers.

"Now, is it not very extraordinary," said Hal to himself, "that they
should go on so long talking about an old pair of gloves, without
scarcely saying a word about my new uniform? Well, the young Sweepstakes
and Lady Diana will talk enough about it; that's one comfort."

"Is not it time to think of setting out, Sir?" said Hal to his uncle;
"the company, you know, are to meet at the Ostrich at twelve, and the
race to begin at one, and Lady Diana's horses, I know, were ordered to
be at the door at ten."

Mr. Stephen, the butler, here interrupted the hurrying young gentleman
in his calculations. "There's a poor lad, Sir, below, with a great black
patch on his right eye, who is come from Bristol, and wants to speak a
word with the young gentlemen, if you please. I told him they were just
going out with you, but he says he won't detain them above half a
minute."

"Show him up, show him up," said Mr. Gresham.

"But I suppose," said Hal, with a sigh, "that Stephen mistook, when he
said the young _gentlemen_; he only wants to see Ben, I dare say; I'm
sure he has no reason to want to see me."

"Here he comes--O Ben, he is dressed in the new coat you gave him,"
whispered Hal, who was really a good-natured boy, though extravagant.
"How much better he looks than he did in the ragged coat! Ah! he looked
at you first, Ben; and well he may!"

The boy bowed without any cringing servility, but with an open, decent
freedom in his manner, which expressed that he had been obliged, but
that he knew his young benefactor was not thinking of the obligation. He
made as little distinction as possible between his bows to the two
cousins.

"As I was sent with a message, by the clerk of our parish, to Redland
Chapel, out on the Downs, to-day, Sir," said he to Mr. Gresham, "knowing
your house lay in my way, my mother, Sir, bid me call, and make bold to
offer the young gentlemen two little worsted balls that she had worked
for them," continued the lad, pulling out of his pocket two worsted
balls worked in green and orange colored stripes: "they are but po