"Ready?"

"Almost."  Ray's brow furrowed in concentration as long, nimble fingers knotted the white shoelace around his daughter's neck.  He adjusted the knot carefully, then checked the buckles on her belts.  "Ok, turn around."  Abby twirled obediently, showing off her homemade costume.  "Perfect.  Your dad is gonna love this."

"What time is it?"

"You tell me."  Ray proffered his wrist, and she scrutinized his watch.

"Six-- no, five forty," she announced proudly.  "What time is Dad coming home?"

"He gets off work at five-thirty, so he should be here any minute."

"And then we can go trick-or-treating?"

"Then we can go," Ray promised.

Ben arrived a few minutes later to the sight of a miniature Mountie sitting crosslegged on the floor, turning the pages of That's Not Fair.  She stopped to study the pictures of Bert's room as usual, looking for all the rabbits.  Ben moved in the doorway, and she looked up.

Grabbing the hat that lay beside her on the floor, Abby raced over and stood at attention.  Ben smiled, then quickly disciplined his face into a stern expression.  "Stand for inspection, Constable."

Abby's back straightened, and her chin lifted as Ben walked in a circle around her, his hands clasped behind his back.  She and Ray had done a good job: she had on a red turtleneck over black sweatpants, belted at the waist with Italian leather and at the shoulder with an old belt of his own.  Her hat was straw, a souvenir Ray had picked up in Miami.  His eyebrows rose at the sight of her footwear, and he shot a questioning glance at his partner.

"Sneakers, Ray?"

"I told her I'd seen you wear them with your uniform."

Ben glared at Ray, then noticed Abby watching him anxiously from the corner of her eye.  "Ah.  Yes, I seem to recall that I did."

Returning to a formal pose in front of his daughter, Ben saluted smartly, and she saluted back.  "At ease, Constable."  He demonstrated, and she copied his posture.  "Now, before we go out on patrol, you have to pass your examination.  Are you ready?"  She nodded.  "What's the capital of Canada?"

"Ottawa!"

"What's `Mountie' short for?"

"Royal Canadian Mounted Police!"

"What's our motto?"

"Manna la droit!"

Ben smiled.  "Maintiens le droit," he corrected.  "That was a hard one."  She smiled back, and he continued.  "What do you say when we get to the door?"

"Trick or treat!"

"And when someone gives you candy?"

"Thank you kindly!"

"What do we have to do before you eat any candy?"

"Let you and Daddy look at it."

"Perfect.  You've passed with flying colors.  Now, are we ready to go?  Ray?"

Ray stood and picked up Abby's treat bag, which was patterned with red and gold autumn leaves, some of them maple.  "Ready when you are.  Now are we forgiven for not letting you help with the costume?"

Ben smiled again.  "You're forgiven.  May I change one thing, though?"

Ray and Abby looked at each other and shrugged.  Finally Abby said, Okay."

Plucking the old straw hat from her head and tossing it onto a chair, Ben plopped his own Stetson onto the upswept dark curls.  "Let's go."

~~~End~~~