"Mercy upon us!" said Mr. Gresham, who was almost stunned by the rapid vociferation with which this long speech about a uniform was pronounced.
"I don't pretend to understand these things," added he, with an air of simplicity, "but we will inquire, Ben, into the necessity of the case, and if it is necessary—or if you think it necessary—that you should have a uniform, why—I'll give you one."
"You, Uncle!—Will you, indeed?" exclaimed Hal, with amazement painted in his countenance. "Well, that's the last thing in the world I should have expected!—You are not at all the sort of person I should have thought would care about a uniform; and I should have supposed you'd have thought it extravagant to have a coat on purpose only for one day; and I'm sure Lady Diana Sweepstakes thought as I do: for when I told her that motto over your kitchen chimney, WASTE NOT, WANT NOT, she laughed, and said that I had better not talk to you about uniforms, and that my mother was the proper person to write to about my uniform; but I'll tell Lady Diana, Uncle, how good you are, and how much she was mistaken."
"Take care how you do that," said Mr. Gresham; "for, perhaps, the lady was not mistaken."
"Nay, did not you say, just now, you would give poor Ben a uniform?"
"I said I would, if he thought it necessary to have one."
"Oh, I'll answer for it, he'll think it necessary," said Hal, laughing, "because it is necessary."
"Allow him, at least, to judge for himself," said Mr. Gresham.
"My dear Uncle, but I assure you," said Hal, earnestly, "there's no judging about the matter, because really, upon my word, Lady Diana said distinctly that her sons were to have uniforms, white faced with green, and a green and white cockade in their hats."
"May be so," said Mr. Gresham, still with the same look of calm simplicity; "put on your hats, boys, and come with me. I know a gentleman whose sons are to be at this archery meeting, and we will inquire into all the particulars from him. Then, after we have seen him (it is not eleven o'clock yet), we shall have time enough to walk on to Bristol and choose the cloth for Ben's uniform, if it be necessary."