"Oh, no," said Asa.

When Asa came down in a few minutes, he seemed rather upset--for
Asa. He blinked rapidly, and there was something so worried in
his open smile that Beany felt conscience-stricken to think he
had sent him on such an errand. He rose, and they walked rapidly
away, for Asa seemed to be thinking deeply.

When they reached the seats around the bandstand, deserted so
early in the morning, Beany sat down.

"Well, let's have it," he demanded.

"That's a funny guy," said Asa, twirling his Scout hat rapidly in
his pale bands. "I did just what you said. I went in, and I
said, 'Morning!' at all. He just looked at me until I felt like
I wasn't there at all; and he smiled softer than anything I ever
see except, some one--I can't think who it was. Well, I did what
you said, and he said--"

"What did you do that I said?" said Beany anxiously.

"Why, nothing," said Asa. "Just stood; and he said, 'Come here,
boy,' and I went closer and he said, 'So you were here
yesterday,' and I said, 'Oh, yes.' And then he says, 'Well, what
do you think of a Swiss Captain's uniform--pretty fine, eh?" I
says, 'Oh, yes,' and he says, ''Specially the boots?' and gimlets
his eyes right into me. I wanted to say I'd never seen no Swiss
Captain's boots, but I remembered what you told me, so I looked