easant as he had supposed, and for the moment he ceased to so
much as think of the provision-bag.

"Now, see here, mother," he said, with a brave attempt at indifference.
"I'm not counting on doing anything more than help take the fort, and
since the corporal is to be with us, that can't be a long task."

"You will ever be a good boy, Isaac?"

"Of course, mother."

"And you will write me a letter, if it so be you find the opportunity?"

This was not a pleasing prospect to the boy, for he had never found it
an easy task to make a fair copy of the single line set down at the top
of his writing-book; but his heart was sore for the moment, and he would
have promised even more in order to check his mother's tears.

Therefore it was he agreed to make her acquainted with all his
movements, so far as should be possible, and, that done, it seemed as if
the sting was taken in a great measure from the parting.

Feeling more like a man than ever before in his life, Isaac set forth
from his home with a heavy musket over his shoulder, and the bag of
provisions hanging at his back, glancing neither to the right nor to the
left until he arrived at the corporal's dwelling.

An exclamation of surprise and delight burst from his lips when he saw
the old man, armed and equipped as he had been in '58, wearing the
uniform of a British soldier, even though by thus setting out he was
proving his disloyalty to the king.

"Well you do look fine, corporal. I dare wager there are none who will
set forth from this town as much a soldier as you!"

"I reckon Colonel Easton will come out great with his militia uniform;
but what does it amount to except for the value of the gold lace that's
on it? All I'm wearin' has seen service, an' though it ain't for me to
say it, I shouldn't be surprised if him as is inside this 'ere red coat
could tell the militia colonel much regarding his duty."

"Of course you can, corporal, every one knows that, an' I'm expecting to
see you put next in command to Colonel Allen, if it so be he goes."

"Not quite that, lad, not quite that, for there's jealousy in the ranks
the same as outside of them, though I warrant many of 'em will be glad
to ask Corporal 'Lige's advice before this 'ere business is over. Now
let's have a look to your stores, and we'll be off."

The examination of the impromptu haversack appeared to be satisfactory
to the old man, and without doing more in the way of securing his
dwelling from i