"I'm going to," her sister replied, and sat right down, there and then, carefully ripped the hem at the bottom of each trouser-leg, cut off two inches and stitched a new hem very carefully, putting back the stiffening and sewing on the "heel-strap" in a very workmanlike manner.
Agnes ran to the kitchen for an iron and pressed the bottom of the trouser-legs to conform with the tailor's creases. "There! that's done," she said, "and done right."
It most certainly was done, whether right or not, the sequel was to show. After supper Neale started for home and Agnes gave him the new trousers.
"I suppose you'll want to wear that fancy suit of yours to church to-morrow morning," she said.
"Bet you!" he replied cheerfully. "Did you cut 'em down?"
As he went through the front hall Aunt Sarah put her head over the balustrade and asked:
She never by any possibility called Neale by his right name, and her voice now was just as sharp as ever.
"Yes, ma'am--thank you," Neale said politely.
In the kitchen Mrs. MacCall said, with a smile: "The pants all right, Neale?"
"Sure they are," he declared, as he went out. Then he thought: "Dear me! seems as though everybody has a lot of interest in my new clothes."
In the morning, early, when he put the suit on to display it to the old cobbler with whom Neale lived, the boy experienced a sudden and surprising interest in the trousers himself.
The Corner House girls were at breakfast when, with a great clatter, Neale rushed in at the back door, through the kitchen, and into the dining room. He had on his new jacket and vest, but around his waist was tied a voluminous kitchen apron that Mr. Con Murphy wore when he cooked, which covered Neale to his insteps.
"Dear me! what is the matter, Neale?" asked Ruth, with some vexation.
"Matter? Matter enough!" cried the white-haired boy, very red in the face. "_Look what you did to my pants!_"
He lifted the apron and displayed a wealth of blue yarn sock above his shoe-tops, and hose supporters as well.
"For the good Land o' Goshen!" ejaculated Aunt Sarah.
"I _never_--in all my life!" cried Mrs. MacCall.
"Ma soul an' body!" chuckled Uncle Rufus from the background. "Somebody done sawed off dat boy's pants too short, for suah!"