fear the effects of all this excitement, together with that wound, on
your slender constitution."

"O, my wound is nothing!" Frank declared. "See that he and Atwater have
every thing done for them--won't you, Mr. Egglestone?"

The minister promised, and Frank endeavored to settle his mind to rest.

But he could not sleep. Every five minutes he started up to inquire after
his friends. Hour after hour passed, and he still remained wakeful as a
spirit doomed never to sleep again. His wounded arm pained him; and he
had so many things to think of,--his suffering comrades, old Buckley
shot out of the tree, his rebel brother, his folks at home, and all the
whirling incidents and horrors of that dread day.

So he thought, and thought; and prayed silently for the old drummer
groaning on his bed of pain; and pleaded for Atwater lying there, still,
with the death-shadow he had foreseen darkening the portal of his body.
And Frank longed for his mother, as he grew weary and weak, until at last
sleep came in mercy, and dropped her soft, vapory veil over his soul.

* * * *

The thrilling news of the victory came north by telegraph. Then followed
letters from correspondents, giving details of the battle, when, one
morning, Helen Manly ran home in a glow of excitement, bringing a damp
and crumpled newspaper.

"News from Frank!" she cried, out of breath.

In a moment the little family was gathered about her, the parents eager
and pale.

"Is he living? Tell me that!" said Mrs. Manly.

"Yes, but he has been wounded, and is in the hospital."

"Wounded!" broke forth Mr. Manly in consternation; but his wife kept her
soul in silence, waiting with compressed white lips to learn more.

"In the arm--not badly. There is a whole half column about him here. For
he has made himself famous--Frank! our dear, dear Frank!" And the quick
tears flooding the girl's eyes fell upon the paper.

Mrs. Manly snatched the sheet and read, how her boy had distinguished
himself; how he had captured a rebel, and fought gallantly in the ranks,
and received a wound without minding it; and how all who had witnessed
his conduct, both officers and men, were praising him; it was all
there--in the newspaper.

"What adds to the romance of this boy's story," said the writer in
conclusion, "is a circumstance which occurred at the capture of the
breastwork. Among the dead and wounded left behind when the enemy took