e
blanket.

IV

THE BOYS LEARN SOMETHING OF WAR

During the whole year the children had been looking forward to the
coming of Christmas. Charlie's outbursts of petulance and not rare
fits of anger were invariably checked if any mention was made of his
father's injunction to take care of his mother and little sister; and
at length he became accustomed to curbing himself by the recollection
of the charge he had received.

If he fell and hurt himself, even badly, in his constant attempts to
climb up impossible places, he would simply snap his eyes and rub
himself, and presently, say, proudly, "I don't cry now; I am a knight,
and next Christmas I am going to be a man, 'cause my papa's goin' to
tell Santa Claus to bring me a pair of breeches and a sword." Evelyn
could not help crying when she was hurt, for she was only a very little
girl; but she added to her prayer of "God bless and keep my papa, and
bring him safe home," the petition, "Please, God, bless and keep Santa
Tlaus, and let him come here Trismas."

Old Bob and Ran, too, as well as the younger ones, looked forward
eagerly to Christmas. But this year brought the war much closer to
Holly Hill. Heretofore it had been to the children, even to Bob,
something dim and distant, like a cloud on the horizon, with grumblings
of thunder and sheet-lightning that threatened but did not strike. But
now it swept up to Holly Hill like a storm, then like a flood rolled
over it. The main armies passed along the great road some way off, the
Northern troops pushing on and on, nearer and nearer, until the big
guns could be heard to the northward, making the ground tremble and the
windows shake. At such times, Mrs. Stafford would stop and listen with
white face and moving lips, and the older boys would stand beside her
and count the reports in low tones, for they knew a great battle was
being fought, and their father might be there. What would happen in
case their side was beaten and had to fall back, they trembled to
think. All the horses would be taken and the corn. That would mean
starvation. And, perhaps, the house might be burnt. They had heard of
such things elsewhere. And they might have to "refugee." This had its
pleasant side for the boys, for they would have to travel south and,
maybe, camp like gypsies or the "young marooners." Bob was full of
excitement as to this, and used to thrill Ran, telling how they would
live, and how they would mount guard