oung volunteer would have forgotten his manhood, and cried, if the
eyes of strangers had not been upon him; even as it was, his voice broke
when he said his last good-by, and sent back his love to his mother and
sisters and little Willie.

III.

UNDER CANVAS.

The cars were soon off; and the heart of Frank swelled within him as he
felt himself now fairly embarked in his new adventure.

Soon enough the white tents of the camp rose in sight. The Stars and
Stripes floating under the blue sky, the soldiers in their blue uniforms,
the sentinels with their glittering bayoneted guns pacing up and down,
and above all, the sound of a drum, which he considered now to be a part
of his life, made him feel himself already a hero.

Several other recruits had come down in the train with him, accompanied
by an officer. Frank was a stranger to them all. But he was not long
without acquaintances, for he had scarcely alighted at the depot when he
saw coming towards him his neighbor and chum, Jack Winch, in soldier
clothes--a good-looking young fellow, a head taller and some two years
older than himself.

"Hello, Jack! how are you?"

"Tip-top!" said Jack, looking happy as a prince.

The officer who had brought down the recruits went with them to the
quartermaster's department, and gave orders for their outfit. When
Frank's turn came, his measure was taken, and an astonishing quantity of
army clothing issued to him. He had two pairs of drawers, two shirts, two
pairs of stockings, a blouse, a dress coat, an overcoat, a cap, a pair of
shoes, a pair of pantaloons, and a towel. Besides these he received a
knapsack, with two blankets; a haversack, with a tin plate, knife and
fork, and spoon; and a tin cup and canteen. He had also been told that he
should get his drum and drumsticks; but in this he was disappointed. The
department was out of drums.

"Never mind!" said Jack, consolingly. "You may consider yourself lucky to
draw your clothes so soon. I had to wait for mine till I was examined and
sworn in. The surgeons are so lazy, or have so much to do, or something,
it may be a week before you'll be examined."

Frank was soon surrounded by acquaintances whom he scarcely recognized at
first, they looked so changed and strange to him in their uniforms.

"How funny it seems," said he, "to be shaking hands with soldiers!"

"These are our tents," said Jack. "They all hav