The Mermaid's Home
"What in?" Reuben asked. "I did disguise myself once in a false beard and a green-colored mustache, but it didn't take no one in for a moment, not even the dogs."
"We thought," said Mavis gently, "that perhaps the most complete disguise for you would be girl's clothes—because," she added hastily to dispel the thundercloud on Reuben's brow—"because you're such a manly boy. Nobody would give vent to a moment's suspicion. It would be so very unlike you."
"G'a long—" said the Spangled Child, his dignity only half soothed.
"And I've brought you some of my things and some sandshoes of France's, because, of course, mine are just kiddy shoes."
At that Reuben burst out laughing and then hummed: "‘Go, flatterer, go, I'll not trust to thy vow,"' quite musically.
"Oh, do you know the ‘Gypsy Countess'? How jolly!" said Kathleen.
"Old Mother Romaine knew a power of songs," he said, suddenly grave. "Come on, chuck us in the togs."
"You just take off your coat and come out and I'll help you dress up," was Francis's offer.
"Best get a skirt over my kicksies first," said Reuben, "case anyone comes by and recognizes the gypsy cheild. Hand us in the silk attire and jewels have to spare."
They pushed the blue serge skirt and jersey through the branches, which he held apart.
"Now the 'at," he said, reaching a hand for it. But the hat was too large for the opening in the bush, and he had to come out of it. The moment he was out the girls crowned him with the big rush-hat, around whose crown a blue scarf was twisted, and Francis and Bernard each seizing a leg, adorned those legs with brown stockings and white sandshoes. Reuben, the spangled runaway from the gypsy camp, stood up among his new friends a
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