'But I don't understand, Cousin Hal,' said little Patty, 'why you call
this bow a _famous_ bow. You say _famous_ very often, and I don't know
exactly what it means--a _famous_ uniform, _famous_ doings. I remember
you said there are to be _famous_ doings, the first of September, upon
the Downs. What does _famous_ mean?'

'Oh, why _famous_ means--now, don't you know what _famous_ means? It
means--it is a word that people say--it is the fashion to say it--it
means--it means _famous_.'

Patty laughed, and said:

'_This_ does not explain it to me.'

'No,' said Hal, 'nor can it be explained. If you don't understand it,
that's not my fault. Everybody but little children, I suppose,
understands it; but there's no explaining _those sort_ of words, if you
don't _take them_ at once. There's to be _famous_ doings upon the Downs,
the first of September--that is grand, fine. In short, what does it
signify talking any longer, Patty, about the matter? Give me my bow, for
I must go out upon the Downs and practise.'

Ben accompanied him with the bow and the three arrows which his uncle
had now given to him, and every day these two boys went out upon the
Downs and practised shooting with indefatigable perseverance. Where
equal pains are taken, success is usually found to be pretty nearly
equal. Our two archers, by constant practice, became expert marksmen;
and before the day of trial they were so exactly matched in point of
dexterity that it was scarcely possible to decide which was superior.

The long-expected first of September at length arrived. 'What sort of a
day is it?' was the first question that was asked by Hal and Ben the
moment that they awakened. The sun shone bright, but there was a sharp
and high wind.

'Ha!' said Ben, 'I shall be glad of my good greatcoat to-day, for I've a
notion it will be rather cold upon the Downs, especially when we are
standing still, as we must, whilst 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 green-and-white 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