Ben looked for it upon the stairs, and he found it sticking in a loop of whip cord, which was entangled round one of the bannisters. When this cord was drawn forth, it appeared that it was the very same jagged, entangled piece which Hal had pulled off his parcel. He had diverted himself with running up and downstairs, whipping the bannisters with it, as he thought he could convert it to no better use; and, with his usual carelessness, he at last left it hanging just where he happened to throw it when the dinner bell rang. Poor little Patty’s ankle was terribly strained, and Hal reproached himself for his folly, and would have reproached himself longer, perhaps, if Lady Di Sweepstakes’ sons had not hurried him away.
In the evening, Patty could not run about as she used to do; but she sat upon the sofa, and she said, that she did not feel the pain of her ankle so much, whilst Ben was so good as to play at jack straws with her.
“That’s right, Ben; never be ashamed of being good-natured to those who are younger and weaker than yourself,” said his uncle, smiling at seeing him produce his whip cord, to indulge his little cousin with a game at her favourite cat’s cradle. “I shall not think you one bit less manly, because I see you playing at cat’s cradle with a little child of six years old.”
Hal, however, was not precisely of his uncle’s opinion: for when he returned in the evening, and saw Ben playing with his little cousin, he could not help smiling contemptuously, and asked if he had been playing at cat’s cradle all night. In a heedless manner he made some inquiries after Patty’s sprained ankle, and then he ran on to tell all the news he had heard at Lady Diana Sweepstakes’—news which he thought would make him appear a person of vast importance.
“Do you know, uncle—do you know, Ben,” said he—“there’s to be the most famous doings that ever were heard of upon the Downs here, the first day of next month, which will be in a fortnight, thank my stars! I wish the fortnight was over; I shall think of nothing else, I know, till that happy day comes!”
Mr. Gresham inquired why the first of September was to be so much happier than any other day in the year.
“Why,” replied Hal, “Lady Diana Sweepstakes, you know, is a famous rider, and archer, and all that—”
“Very likely,” said Mr. Gresham, soberly; “but what then?”
“Dear uncle!” cried Hal, “but you shall hear. There’s to be a race upon the Downs on the first of September, and after the race, there’s to be an archery meeting for the ladies, and Lady Diana Sweepstakes is to be one of them. And after the ladies have done shooting—now, Ben, comes the best part of it! we boys are to have our turn, and Lady Di is to give a prize to the best marksman amongst us, of a very handsome bow and arrow! Do you know, I’ve been practising already, and I’ll show you, to-morrow, as soon as it comes home, the famous bow and arrow that Lady Diana has given me; but, perhaps,” added he, with a scornful laugh, “you like a cat’s cradle better than a bow and arrow.”
Ben made no reply to this taunt at the moment; but the next day, when Hal’s new bow and arrow came home, he convinced him that he knew how to use it very well.