"I say, what will we wear, though, Dick? I don't care how ridiculous I make myself."
"I know you don't; and I've thought you might go as an old soldier. There is your father's cast-off suit—how would that do?"
"But there's some difference in our size."
"Well," laughed his friend, "about a hundred or so pounds. But that will go for nothing when I get hold of the wadding. What fun I'll have stuffing you! Fortunately your height's about right. I say, though, Joe, you'd better wear a mask with a big gray beard, Santa Claus fashion, and that will cover over any wrinkles there might be about the neck. And don't forget the sabre. Go as a sure-enough soldier, or don't go as a soldier at all. And for myself, there is always so much talk about my leanness, gaunt, hungry-looking style, that I shall wear the costume of a real down-East Yankee; and in order to make myself look taller than ever I shall ask my sister to sew several red cloth stripes down my trouser legs, long-tailed coat, and vest."
"You'll be a sight for mortal eye," complimented Joe, laughing so heartily that he lost his balance and rolled off his chair full length onto the new kite, which, however, was not in the least hurt by this fantastic antic.
"I hope I will. I want to be a sight. And say, Joe, where do you suppose I can borrow a tall gray beaver hat and a big"—and he held his hands at arms'-length apart—"red cotton handkerchief?"
"I can get you the bandanna right enough, but the hat's a poser." And Joe screwed up his mouth thoughtfully awhile; then, with a triumphant nod, said: "I've got it. Go to Dr. Worth; he always wears 'em, and keeps 'em, too, for centuries almost. I once saw a whole stock of them on the top shelf in his store-room. He'll let us have one all right enough, I'll wager."
"That's good, and I'll get the dudest style of false face too, for I mean to be a dandy; and our fun—well, it will beat a house afire."
After a little more laughter, comment, and explanation, the boys began to talk about a game that Joe had learned the year before while in Germany, and that both the boys thought would be a good thing to follow the masquerade.
"What did you say it was called?"