s if the night would never go! Next morning, it seemed as if
Big Tom would never go, nor the Father come. But at an early hour the
latter did appear, panting, in his arms a large pasteboard box. At sight
of that box, Johnnie felt almost faint. But when the string was cut, and
the cover taken off, disclosing a crisp, clean, khaki uniform, with
little, breathless cries, and excited exclamations, yes, and with wet
lashes, he caught the gift up in his arms and held it against him,
embracing it. It was his! His! Oh, the overwhelming joy of knowing it
was his!

Though there was, of course, a chance that another strike might happen,
and Big Tom come trudging home, nevertheless Johnnie could not resist
the temptation of donning the precious outfit, seeing himself in it, and
showing himself to the Father. But first he took a thorough hand-wash,
this to guard against soiling a new garment; to insure against surprise
while he was putting the clothes on, he scurried into Cis's room with
the armful, leaving Father Pat in the morris chair, from where the
latter called out advice now and again.

On went everything. Not without mistakes, however, and some fumbling, in
the poor light, over strange fastenings (all of Johnnie's fingers had
turned into thumbs). The Father had done his part particularly well, and
the suit fitted nicely. So did the leggings, so soon as Johnnie,
discovering that he had them on upside down, inverted them. The
buttoning and the belting, the lacing and the knotting, at an end, he
put on the hat. But was undecided as to whether or not he should wear it
at a slant of forty-five degrees, as One-Eye wore his, or straight, as
was Mr. Perkins's custom. Finally he chose the latter fashion, took a
long breath, like a swimmer coming up out of the depths, and--walked
forth in a pair of squeaking brown shoes.

How different from the usual Johnnie Smith he looked! He had lost that
curious chunky appearance which Barber's old clothes gave him, and which
was so misleading. On the other hand, his thin arms and pipelike legs
were concealed, respectively, by becoming cloth and canvas. As for his
body, it was slender, and lithe. And how straight he stood! And how
smart was his appearance! And how tall he seemed!

The priest threw up astonished hands. "Shure," he cried, "and is this
annybody I know?"

"Oh, it is! I am!" declared Johnnie, flushing under the brim of the
olive-drab hat. "It's me, Father Pat! Oh, my! Do I look fi