"I suppose," said he to his friend with the black patch—"I suppose my uncle and Ben had left home before you went for the shoes and stockings for me?"
"O yes, sir; the butler said they had been gone to the Downs a matter of a good half hour or more."
Hal trudged on as fast as he possibly could. When he got upon the Downs, he saw numbers of carriages, and crowds of people, all going towards the place of meeting, at the Ostrich. He pressed forwards. He was at first so much afraid of being late, that he did not take notice of the mirth his motley appearance excited in all beholders. At length he reached the appointed spot. There was a great crowd of people; in the midst, he heard Lady Diana's loud voice betting upon some one who was just going to shoot at the mark.
"So then the shooting is begun, is it?" said Hal. "O, let me in; pray let me into the circle. I'm one of the archers; I am, indeed; don't you see my green and white uniform?"
"Your red and white uniform, you mean," said the man to whom he addressed himself; and the people, as they opened a passage for him, could not refrain from laughing at the mixture of dirt and finery which it exhibited.
In vain, when he got into the midst of the formidable circle, he looked to his friends, the young Sweepstakes, for their countenance and support; they were amongst the most unmerciful of the laughers. Lady Diana also seemed more to enjoy than to pity his confusion.
"Why could you not keep your hat upon your head, man?" said she, in her masculine tone. "You have been almost the ruin of my poor uniform-habit; but, thank God, I've escaped rather better than you have. Don't stand there, in the middle of the circle, or you'll have an arrow in your eyes, just now, I've a notion."
Hal looked round in search of better friends.
"O, where's my uncle? Where's Ben?" said he. He was in such confusion that, amongst the number of faces, he could scarcely distinguish one from another; but he felt somebody at this moment pull his elbow, and, to his great relief, he heard the friendly voice and saw the good-natured face of his cousin Ben.
"Come back; come behind the people," said Ben; "and put on my great coat; here it is for you."