It was not quite finished when the children were bidden to file up to the distributors and exchange their blue buttons for luncheon. Then Blue suddenly realized the dreadful fact that he was buttonless. It was at once Doodles’s turn to play the heroic part, and promptly he acted. But he did not count on his brother’s resistance, and it was not easy to pin a button on the blouse of a boy who fought it off with all the strength he dared use. The little excitement finally brought Captain Bligh himself to the spot, and as the whole story was poured into the ears of the kindly Captain it did not lose any of its interest through Doodles’s eager telling.
Presently the two boys were sitting placidly side by side, too much engaged in the joys of chicken sandwiches, cakes, ice cream, and lemonade to utter more than an occasional expletive of rapture.
The last dish was finally empty, and Doodles looked up with a seraphic smile.
“When I’m a man,” he said, “I’m going to save my money and give ice cream every day to all the folks that can’t have any!”
“Like it?” queried Blue, with a mischievous lift of his eyebrows.
“It’s the best thing to eat in the whole world! Why,” he went on solemnly, “I wouldn’t have missed mine for—fifty cents!” The afternoon’s delights were many and marvelous. Doodles had a sail in the enchanting swan boat, and then, to his utter astonishment, Sergeant Connor put him into a wonderful wheel chair, and he was rolled away through the grove to a place that was all red and gold with wild flowers. He came back with his lap full of the beautiful blossoms, and his eyes brimming with happiness.
At four o’clock the procession started for home, and, as the crowning joy of the day, Blue and Doodles rode in the leading car beside Captain Bligh himself. The Captain led Doodles into a spirited talk, and Blue gazed at his brother in pride and admiration as he conversed so easily and well with the officer of whom he stood a bit in awe. Suddenly, to his discomfiture, the topic was himself!
“Your brother has a very unusual name,” the Captain remarked, “and I am glad to know he is true-Blue.”
“Oh,” cried Doodles earnestly, “he’s the true-bluest boy you ever saw!”
The “true-bluest boy” tried to nudge his small brother into silence; but Doodles was afloat on his favorite stream of talk, and he only laughed innocently—and went on.