Presently a little specimen appeared in the doorway; a handsome little fellow too, though he did not have any curls, as most children do who find their way into story books, but his hair was golden, and, though cut quite short, as he insisted upon having it, had a little trick of straying down on his forehead in quite irresistible fashion.
“Well, what are we going to do to-day?” said his grandmother, gazing at him as fondly as only fond grandmothers can. In response the little fellow merely pointed to two straps of gold braid upon his shoulders, and looked as though, really “grandnana” should have known better than to ask.
“Oh! beg pardon, Brevet, I was so intent upon my knitting I had not noticed,” and she succeeded in foiling a smile that would at least have proved annoying; for, as every one about the place knew, the gold shoulder-straps, worn in imitation of a captain’s uniform in the army, meant but one thing, and that was that Captain Joe was coming down to carry Brevet-Captain up to Arlington for the day. Indeed at that moment a cheery “How’dy, Brevet!” rang out on the still morning air, and at the same moment a donkey and a two-wheeled cart driven by an old negro came to a stand at the gate.
“How’dy, Captain, I’m ready for you. Been expecting you ev’ry minute since breakfast. Good-bye, Grannana, take good care of yourself,” and a pair of chubby arms gave grandmamma just about as much of a hug as the old lady could bear up under.
“Good-mornin’, Miss Lindy,” said Captain Joe, stepping up to the gate and touching his cap deferentially. “I ’spose the little un tol’ you I’d like him up to Arlington fur de day if you could spare him.”
“No, Joe,” answered Mrs. Ellis, smiling, “Brevet does not think that necessary now-a-days. He simply dons the blue reefer with the shoulder-straps, and that means he has his orders for the day from his captain, and grandmammas are not expected to ask questions.” Brevet stood by, his hands upon his hips in most independent fashion, as much as to say, “That describes the case exactly.”
“Well, I reckon he don’ mean no harm, Miss Lindy,” said Joe, a little anxiously. “He’s dat much in earnest ’bout everythin’, dat he’s a Brevet-Cap’n sure ’nuff when he gets his straps on.” "Oh, that’s all right, Joe,”’ answered Mrs. Ellis, “but we’ll just send for you, if the day comes when we need to court-martial him for insubordination.”
Brevet did not at all understand this last remark, and so, touching his little blue cap in true soldier-fashion, turned on his heel and marched down to the donkey-cart as though in command of an army.