"Oh, look at my nice Soldiers on the floor!"

"And the Captain's sword is broken!" said another voice. "Oh, who do
you suppose did it?"

It was Dick and Arnold who had come into the room.

"What is the matter?" asked Dick's mother, coming up to the playroom
just then. "Has anything happened?"

[Illustration: "It Was Not Your Fault," Said the Soldier.]

Then the boys showed the sword broken from the side of the brave
Captain.

"Tad must have done that!" said Dick's mother. "He was up here while
his mother and I were talking downstairs. Oh, I am so sorry! But I
will have your Soldier mended, Arnold."

"Do you think you can?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," was the answer. "Patrick, our gardener, is very good at
soldering things. Once he soldered a hole in my dishpan. I will get
him to fasten on the sword which is broken from your Tin Captain."

Patrick was called in. The gardener, who did many things around the
big house besides watering the lawn and looking after the flowers,
took the Bold Tin Soldier and the broken sword up in his hands.