he Well-Walk after the young
gentleman, and take him his bow and arrows."

"Will you? I shall be much obliged to you," said Ben; and away went the
boy with the bow that was ornamented with green ribands.

The public walk leading to the Wells was full of company. The windows of
all the houses in St. Vincent's parade were crowded with well-dressed
ladies, who were looking out in expectation of the archery procession.
Parties of gentlemen and ladies, and a motley crowd of spectators, were
seen moving backwards and forwards under the rocks, on the opposite side
of the water. A barge, with colored streamers flying, was waiting to
take up a party, who were going upon the water. The bargemen rested upon
their oars, and gazed with broad faces of curiosity on the busy scene
that appeared upon the public walk.

The archers and archeresses were now drawn up on the flags under the
semi-circular piazza just before Mrs. Yearsley's library. A little band
of children, who had been mustered by Lady Diana Sweepstakes' _spirited
exertions_, closed the procession. They were now all in readiness. The
drummer only waited for her ladyship's signal; and the archers' corps
only waited for her ladyship's word of command to march.

"Where are your bow and arrows, my little man?" said her ladyship to
Hal, as she reviewed her Lilliputian regiment. "You can't march, man,
without your arms!"

Hal had dispatched a messenger for his forgotten bow, but the messenger
returned not; he looked from side to side in great distress. "Oh,
there's my bow coming, I declare!" cried he; "look, I see the bow and
the ribands; look now, between the trees, Charles Sweepstakes, on the
Hot-well Walk; it is coming."

"But you've kept us all waiting a confounded time," said his impatient
friend.

"It is that good-natured poor fellow from Bristol, I protest, that has
brought it to me; I'm sure I don't deserve it from him," said Hal to
himself, when he saw the lad with the black patch on his eye running
quite out of breath towards him with his bow and arrows.

"Fall back, my good friend, fall back," said the military lady, as soon
as he had delivered the bow to Hal: "I mean stand out of the way, for
your great patch cuts no figure amongst us. Don't follow so close, now,
as if you belonged to us, pray."

The poor boy had no ambition to partake the triumph; he _fell back_ as
soon as he understood the meaning of the lady's words. The drum beat,
the fife played, the a