-call (at eight), the drummers had to
themselves. After that the men were dismissed for the night, and could go
to bed if they chose,--all except the drummers, who must sit up and beat
the _tattoo at nine_. That is the signal for the troops to retire. Then
come the _taps_ (to extinguish lights), beat by each drummer in the
company, going down the line of tents.

There were other calls besides those mentioned, such as the company
_drill call_, the _adjutants call_, to _the color_, _etc._, all of which
were beat differently; so that, as you see, the drummer boy's situation
was no sinecure.

He found his watch of great assistance to him, in giving him warning of
the moment to be ready for the stated calls. Although evidently a new
watch, it had been well regulated, and it kept excellent time. The secret
donor of this handsome present was still undiscovered. Sometimes he
suspected the colonel, sometimes Captain Edney; then he surmised that it
must somehow have come to him from home. But all his conjectures and
inquiries on the subject were alike in vain; and he enjoyed the exquisite
torment of feeling that he had a lover somewhere who was unknown to him.

XI.

A CHRISTMAS FROLIC.

Christmas came. The men had a holiday, but no turkeys, no plum puddings,
except such as had come to individuals in private boxes from home. The
sight of these boxes was not very edifying to those who had none. Frank,
who was once more in communication with his friends, had expected such a
box, and been disappointed.

"You just come along with me, boys," said Seth Tucket, "and we'll lay in
for as merry a Christmas as any of 'em. It may come a little later in
the day; but patient waiters are no losers,--as the waiter said when he
picked the pockets of the six gentlemen at dinner."

"What's the fun?" asked the boys, who were generally ready for any sport
into which Seth would lead them.

He answered them enigmatically. "'_Evil, be thou my good!_'--that's what
Milton's bad angel said. '_Fowl, be thou my fare!_'--that's what I say."
From which significant response, followed by an apt imitation of a
turkey-gobbler, the boys understood that he had some device for
obtaining poultry for dinner.

It was a holiday, and I have said, and they had already got permission
to go beyond the lines. There were some twenty of them in all, Frank
included. Tucket led them to a thicket about t