she was considered an idler by every one but her own father and Dorothy.

"Tavia is a rough diamond," Dorothy would tell the major, "and you need
not be afraid of Aunt Libby's dreadful ideas about her. She's as good as
gold. Lots of girls, who turn up their noses at her, might learn charity
from the Tiger Lily, as they call her, just because she has a few
freckles around her eyes. I think they make her eyes prettier, they are
so brown--her eyes you know. And Daddy, no other girl in Dalton loves
soldiers, dead or alive, as truly as Tavia does."

This last argument never failed to convince Major Dale, for a patriotic
girl could no more go astray than could a star fall from the flag, he
declared; so the Little Captain might go with Tavia if she desired.

So it was that Dorothy and Tavia were companions on Decoration Day. For
weeks they had been getting ready--Tavia picking out the patches of
daisies that would surely be in bloom in time, and Dorothy making
certain that Mrs. Travers would not disappoint Tavia with her white
things, as well as keeping track of Aunt Libby, who had Dorothy's own
costume in hand. The dress was too short and had to be let down a whole
inch, and of course, it could not be done up until after the alterations
were finished.

There was always a big time in Dalton on Memorial Day, but this year it
was to be made more memorable than ever before. The Grand Army of the
Republic men were to come in from Rochester, the firemen were to turn
out, and the school children were to have a place in the ranks, with
Dorothy Dale as their leader. Besides this, the Dalton Drum and Fife
Corps would make their first public appearance on this occasion, and a
real review was to be given the procession, in the little square