nd rode on, thinking he would go to the point
indicated, and ask some one else to show him the officer.

He felt quite grand as he rode in among the men, who, he thought,
would recognize his importance and treat him accordingly; but, as he
passed on, instead of paying him the respect he had expected, they
began to guy him with all sorts of questions.

"Hullo, bud, going to jine the cavalry?" asked one. "Which is oldest;
you or your horse?" inquired another.

"How's pa--and ma?" "Does your mother know you're out?" asked others.
One soldier walked up, and putting his hand on the bridle, proceeded
affably to ask him after his health, and that of every member of his
family. At first Frank did not understand that they were making fun of
him, but it dawned on him when the man asked him solemnly:

"Are there any Yankees around, that you were running away so fast just
now?"

"No; if there were I'd never have found _you_ here," said Frank,
shortly, in reply; which at once turned the tide in his favor and
diverted the ridicule from himself to his teaser, who was seized by
some of his comrades and carried off with much laughter and slapping
on the back.

"I wish to see Colonel Marshall," said Frank, pushing his way through
the group that surrounded him, and riding up to the man who was still
occupied at the basin on the stump.

"All right, sir, I'm the man," said the individual, cheerily looking
up with his face dripping and rosy from its recent scrubbing.

"You the colonel!" exclaimed Frank, suspicious that he was again being
ridiculed, and thinking it impossible that this slim, rosy-faced
youngster, who was scarcely stouter than Hugh, and who was washing in
a tin basin, could be the commander of all these soldierly-looking
men, many of whom were old enough to be his father.

"Yes, I'm the lieutenant-colonel. I'm in command," said the gentleman,
smiling at him over the towel.

Something made Frank understand that this was really the officer, and
he gave his message, which was received with many expressions of
thanks.

"Won't you get down? Here, Campbell, take this horse, will you?" he
called to a soldier, as Frank sprang from his horse. The orderly
stepped forward and took the bridle.

"Now, come with me," said the colonel, leading the way. "We must get
ready to receive your mother. There are some ladies coming--and
breakfast," he called to a group who were engaged in the same
occupation he had just ended, and who