of you.'

Even little Patty went on eating her breakfast much as usual, and talked
of the pleasure of walking with her father to the Downs, and of all the
little things which interested her, so that Hal's epaulettes were not
the principal object in anyone's imagination but his own.

'Father,' said Patty, 'as we go up the hill where there is so much red
mud I must take care to pick my way nicely, and I must hold up my
frock, as you desired me, and perhaps you will be so good, if I am not
troublesome, to lift me over the very bad place where are no
stepping-stones. My ankle is entirely well, and I'm glad of that, or
else I should not be able to walk so far as the Downs. How good you were
to me, Ben, when I was in pain the day I sprained my ankle! You played
at jack straws and at cat's-cradle with me. Oh, that puts me in mind!
Here are your gloves which I asked you that night to let me mend. I've
been a great while about them, but are not they very neatly mended,
father? Look at the sewing.'

'I am not a very good judge of sewing, my dear little girl,' said Mr.
Gresham, examining the work with a close and scrupulous eye; 'but, in my
opinion, here is one stitch that is rather too long. The white teeth are
not quite even.'

'Oh, father, I'll take out that long tooth in a minute,' said Patty,
laughing. 'I did not think that you would observe it so soon.'

'I would not have you trust to my blindness,' said her father, stroking
her head fondly; 'I observe everything. I observe, for instance, that
you are a grateful little girl, and that you are glad to be of use to
those who have been kind to you, and for this I forgive you the long
stitch.'

'But it's out--it's out, father,' said Patty; 'and the next time your
gloves want mending, Ben, I'll mend them better.'

'They are very nice, I think,' said Ben, drawing them on, 'and I am much
obliged to you. I was just wishing I had a pair of gloves to keep my
fingers warm to-day, for I never can shoot well when my hands are
benumbed. Look, Hal; you know how ragged these gloves were. You said
they were good for nothing but to throw away. Now look, there's not a
hole in them,' said he, spreading his fingers.

'Now, is it not very extraordinary,' said Hal to himself, 'that they
should go on so long talking about an old pair of gloves, without saying
scarcely a word about my new uniform? Well, the young Sweepstakes and
Lady Diana will talk enough about it, that's one comfort. Is no