“How would you like to look over your clothes and see that they are in good order?” her mother said to her one day. “Wouldn’t it be a good plan to sew on the missing buttons and see that the others are on firmly and not hanging by their eyelids?” “Sir Bodkin would like it. He can sing me a little song all about buttons. He loves to sing and tell you what to do, you know,” laughed Margaret. “That’s a very good idea. What he has to say seems always to be right,” said Mrs. Allen. Margaret went to her room to look over her clothes. Sure enough, here was a button gone and there, one loose. “’Most everything needs a little dose of thread and needle after a vacation, I s’pose,” she said to herself. [Illustration: There they all were] When all the garments needing buttons were piled on her bed, Margaret called her little friend, but he did not respond from the work-basket at all. “Whatever is the matter and wherever is he?” Margaret asked herself. Then she remembered that he and the others were still in the sewing-bag she had carried away on her trip. She found it hanging on a hook in her closet. When she pulled open the draw-strings, there they all were. [Illustration] “Sir Bodkin!” she called. “Where are we?” asked a sleepy voice. “Safe at home again,” replied the little mistress. “I forgot to take you out and put you in your home. But first I’ll give you all a rest in the fresh air in the pincushion,” she said and stuck each one in as she talked. “What are we to do to-day, My Lady?” asked Sir Bodkin from the table-top where he stood putting his crown on straight. “I’m getting my clothes ready for school next week and there are some buttons to be fastened on,” she said. “That’s fun. Bring on your buttons and then we’ll know what to do,” said the tiny King. Margaret obeyed him and brought over the garments with missing buttons. “Here’s a slipper-button gone, and a pearl one from my dress, a bone one from my under-waist, one from my dress with the button trimming, and one from my coat,” said Margaret all out of breath. “First the shoe-button. That’s a shank button. Some black patent thread and a thick Stitcher with a big eye will soon fix it,” he said to Margaret. “Measure your thread and wax it with your beeswax, make a knot in one end. Find the place where the button was sewed before. Now, sir, push up from the wrong side of the slipper-strap to the right side and straight through the shank of the button, then back to the wrong side again,” he said. “Oh! that’s stiff. I had to push him hard with my thimble!” cried Margaret. “That’s the way. Now through again several more times, then fasten the thread on the wrong side and that’s done!” Sir Bodkin said. [Illustration: Shoe] [Illustration: Pearl] [Illustration: Thread Shank] [Illustration: Trimming] “Better give the button on the other slipper a few stitches to be sure it doesn’t come off,” he then said when the first was on good and tight. They did this.