m Frank knew by instinct to be
officers.

The information seemed to electrify the little knot addressed; for
they began to rush around, and in a few moments they all were in their
uniforms, and surrounding the colonel, who, having brushed his hair
with the aid of a little glass hung on a bush, had hurried into his
coat and was buckling on his sword and giving orders in a way which at
once satisfied Frank that he was every inch a colonel.

"Now let us go and receive your mother," said he to the boy. As he
strode through the camp with his coat tightly buttoned, his soft hat
set jauntily on the side of his head, his plumes sweeping over its
side, and his sword clattering at his spurred heel, he presented a
very different appearance from that which he had made a little before,
with his head in a tin basin, and his face covered with lather. In
fact, Colonel Marshall was already a noted officer, and before the end
of the war he attained still higher rank and reputation.

The colonel met the rest of the party at the bridge, and introduced
himself and several officers who soon joined him. The negroes were
directed to take the provisions over to the other side of the stream
into the camp, and in a little while the whole regiment were enjoying
the breakfast. The boys and their mother had at the colonel's request
joined his mess, in which was one of their cousins, the brother of
their cousin Belle.

The gentlemen could eat scarcely anything, they were so busy attending
to the wants of the ladies. The colonel, particularly, waited on their
cousin Belle all the time.

As soon as they had finished the colonel left them, and a bugle blew.
In a minute all was bustle. Officers were giving orders; horses were
saddled and brought out; and by what seemed magic to the boys, the
men, who just before were scattered about among the trees laughing
and eating, were standing by their horses all in proper order. The
colonel and the officers came and said good-bye.

Again the bugle blew. Every man was in his saddle. A few words by the
colonel, followed by other words from the captains, and the column
started, turning across the bridge, the feet of the horses thundering
on the planks. Then the regiment wound up the hill at a walk, the men
singing snatches of a dozen songs of which "The Bonnie Blue Flag,"
"Lorena," and "Carry Me Back to Old Virginia Shore," were the chief
ones.

It seemed to the boys that to be a soldier was the noblest thin