ugh "Lafayette" endeavored to guide him in the
appointed course, entered the stable.

"Washington" drew rein beneath the grain-bin and lifted his hat to Lady
Washington, who leaned forward to wave in response; but unfortunately
her bonnet strings were not fastened, and the fine bonnet with its blue
plumes fell from her head and went tumbling down almost on Hero's brown
head. In a second the dog had seized it, and forgetting his part in the
procession, jumped this way and that, shaking this new plaything with
delighted satisfaction.

Mrs. Hastings kept her seat resolutely. It would have been an easy
matter to have stepped from her seat and rescued the bonnet. But Mrs.
Hastings knew that such a movement on her part would have brought
Gilbert's play to an untimely end, and spoiled the pleasure of all the
guests, as well as of the children who took part. So she did not move,
even when Hero fled out into the garden with the plumes grasped in his
teeth. Betty, Ruth and Winifred never forgot that moment, nor the fact
that Mrs. Hastings had apparently not seen what happened. Even in her
fright at the results of her "borrowing" Betty Hastings was very proud
of her mother.

The drummer played on. The two ponies were swung around face to face;
Washington and Lafayette clasped hands for a moment; then side by side,
with drum playing, but with a silent army, the little procession
vanished through the rear door.

Gilbert was delighted with his success. It seemed to him that everything
had gone very well, and he was especially grateful to Betty Hastings for
securing the English officer's coat.

But Betty, having seen the ruin of the bonnet, had suddenly realized
that it was a serious matter to take the belongings of other people
without their permission; and her first thought was of the officer's
coat. Whatever happened she must return that coat to the closet from
which she had taken it as soon as possible. Then she would try and
explain to her mother that she had not meant any harm should befall the
borrowed articles. So, grasping the red coat, Betty opened the door into
the alley and started off as fast as she could go; while Ruth, still
wearing the fine velvet coat, crouched down behind the lilac bushes, too
unhappy to care if the play had been a success or not; for as
"Lafayette" faced the audience she had seen that her mother was wearing
the brown silk dress.

CHAPTER IX

BETTY'S ADVENTURE

"Come, Ruth, Mistres