good-natured giant was overpowered.

"I don't know but jest one story, and that's about a horse," he said,
much flattered by the reception he received.

"Tell it! tell it!" cried the boys.

"Wal," began Silas, tipping his chair back against the wall, and
putting his thumbs in the arm-holes of his waistcoat, "I jined a cavalry
regiment durin' the war, and see a consid'able amount of fightin'. My
horse, Major, was a fust-rate animal, and I was as fond on him as
ef he'd ben a human critter. He warn't harnsome, but he was the
best-tempered, stiddyest, lovenest brute I ever see. I fust battle we
went into, he gave me a lesson that I didn't forgit in a hurry, and
I'll tell you how it was. It ain't no use tryin' to picter the noise and
hurry, and general horridness of a battle to you young fellers, for I
ain't no words to do it in; but I'm free to confess that I got so sort
of confused and upset at the fust on it, that I didn't know what I was
about. We was ordered to charge, and went ahead like good ones, never
stoppin' to pick up them that went down in the scrimmage. I got a shot
in the arm, and was pitched out of the saddle don't know how, but there
I was left behind with two or three others, dead and wounded, for the
rest went on, as I say. Wal, I picked myself up and looked round for
Major, feeling as ef I'd had about enough for that spell. I didn't see
him nowhere, and was kinder walking back to camp, when I heard a whinny
that sounded nateral. I looked round, and there was Major stopping for
me a long way off, and lookin' as ef he didn't understand why I was
loiterin' behind. I whistled, and he trotted up to me as I'd trained him
to do. I mounted as well as I could with my left arm bleedin' and was
for going on to camp, for I declare I felt as sick and wimbly as a
woman; folks often do in their fust battle. But, no sir! Major was the
bravest of the two, and he wouldn't go, not a peg; he jest rared up, and
danced, and snorted, and acted as ef the smell of powder and the noise
had drove him half wild. I done my best, but he wouldn't give in, so
I did; and what do you think that plucky brute done? He wheeled slap
round, and galloped back like a hurricane, right into the thickest of
the scrimmage!"

"Good for him!" cried Dan excitedly, while the other boys forgot apples
and nuts in their interest.

"I wish I may die ef I warn't ashamed of myself," continued Silas,
warming up at the recollection of that day. "I was mad