aimed the captain. "And what did you do?"

Frank lifted his eyes with a smile. "I partly finished them myself--they
had haggled them so; and the next day I found a man to cut my hair
nicely."

"Well, it is better so, perhaps: short hair for a soldier. But I liked
those curls. They reminded me of a little sister of mine--she is gone
now--," in a low, mellow tone. "Are you attached to any company?"

"I am enlisted in the Jackson Blues."

"What is your name?"

"Frank Manly, sir."

"Are you any relation to Mrs. Manly, of----?"

"She is my mother, sir," said Frank, with proud affection.

"Is it possible! Mrs. Manly's son! Indeed, you look like her."

"Do you know my mother, sir?"

"My lad," said the captain, "I used to go to school to her. But, though I
have heard of her often, I haven't seen her for years."

"I shall write to her, and tell her about you," said Frank, delighted.
"She will be glad to hear that I have found so good a friend."

"Ask her," said the captain, "If she remembers Henry Edney, who used to
go to school to her in ----. She will recollect me, I am sure. And give
my very kind regards to her, and to your father; and tell them I regret I
didn't see you before you enlisted, for I want just such a drummer boy in
my company. But never mind," he added quickly, as if conscious of having
spoken indiscreetly, "you will do your duty where you are, and I will try
to do mine, for we must have only one thought now--to serve our country."

They separated, with more kind words on the captain's part, and with
expressions of gratitude on the part of Frank, who felt that, to
compensate him for John Winch's treachery, he was already securing the
friendship of a few of the best of men.

You may be sure the boy wrote to his mother all about the interview, and
told her how sorry he was that he had not enlisted in Captain Edney's
company; not only because he liked his new friend's kindness and affable
manners so well, but also because there existed in the ranks of the
Jackson Blues a strong prejudice against their own officers. Captain ----
was almost a stranger to his men, and seemed determined to continue so.
He seldom appeared amongst them, or showed any interest in their welfare.
He had never once drilled them, but left that duty entirely to the
sergeant. They consequently accused him boldly of laziness, ignorance,
and conceit--three qualities which men always dislike in their superiors.
How different was Ca