as she went into the house. She wished that
she had told Betty that she was sorry about borrowing her mother's dress
without permission, and that it would be wiser to ask the soldier to
lend his coat. Then she remembered that Betty was nearly thirteen, and
of course must know more than a little girl only just past ten.

Aunt Deborah greeted her smilingly. "I have been brushing thy mother's
gown, Ruth. 'Twas sadly in need of it, and a tear on the side breadth.
But I have mended it so well that 'twill hardly be noticed, and sponged
and pressed the dress until it looks as well as ever," she said.

Ruth's face brightened.

"Oh! I am so glad, Aunt Deborah. Then Mother need not know I wore it, or
that I went to see General Howe. You will not tell her, will you, Aunt
Deborah?" said Ruth eagerly.

The smile faded from Aunt Deborah's face, and she turned away from Ruth
with a little sigh.

"No, I will not tell her, Ruth. But thee will surely do that thyself,"
she answered.

"But you say the dress looks as well as ever," said Ruth, "and, oh,
Aunt Deborah! It will make Mother feel so bad to know that I was so
thoughtless," and Ruth looked pleadingly toward her aunt.

"Thee shall settle the matter for thyself, Ruth. But I hope thee will
tell thy mother," responded Aunt Deborah. But Ruth made no reply.

In the afternoon Winifred came over, and the two little girls sat down
on the back porch to talk over Gilbert's play. Winifred said that the
broomsticks could be dressed up in some blue coverlets, with cocked hats
made from paper, and Ruth promised to help Winifred make the hats.

"Betty is going to borrow her mother's fine silk cape and bonnet for me
to wear as Lady Washington," Winifred continued eagerly. "Isn't Betty
splendid to let me have the very best part of all, and to get so many
nice things for us to dress up in?"

"Will she ask her mother for the cape and bonnet?" Ruth questioned.

"Of course she will," declared Winifred, "and I have thought of
something. We can dress Josephine and Cecilia in their best dresses,
and have them sit beside Lady Washington on the top of the grain box."

Ruth agreed that such a plan would add to the success of Gilbert's play.

"My mother is coming home in a few days," she said when Winifred said
that she must go home.

"Well, I guess she will be proud when you tell her that you went to
General Howe and made him find Hero," Winifred replied. For Winifred was
sure that it had been