its own crew manning the successive
switches.

It was now 8.45, and barely dark. The western sky was still faintly
illumined. Old Wallace could no longer read, and bent down to take a
hand in the talk between his boys. Silence still reigned in the deserted
yards. Men hovered in muttering groups, and watched the few officials
who flitted about with lanterns in their hands. A rumor was going around
that the management had determined to send out all the night passenger
trains as usual, and the first of these should be along by ten o'clock.
As Mr. Wallace bent over Jim's broad shoulder his wife and daughters
ceased their low chatter. Evidently something was on the old man's mind.

"There's no danger of its spreading to your people, is there, Jim? Would
you go out if they did?"

"Father," said the young man, slowly, "you know the ties by which we are
bound. Suppose now that Fred's regiment were ordered out, would you ask
him would he go?"

Old Wallace looked graver still. "I consider that a very different
proposition," said he. "I was hoping--" he faltered, when a young fellow
in soiled blue flannel garb slipped quietly in through the rear gate,
and coming up to the freight conductor, said the two words,

"Wanted, Jim."

Jim's bronzed cheek turned a shade lighter.

"What hour?"

"At once."

And before the others could ask explanation of this scene a bicycle came
flashing up to the same gate, and the tall rider dismounted and strode
quickly toward the party. Young Fred's eyes glistened at sight of him.

"Orders, Sergeant?" he eagerly inquired.

"Yes. Notify your squad to make arrangements with their employers, and
be ready to report at the armory at a moment's notice."

The two brothers stood facing each other a little later, then silently
clasped hands. One at the beck of a secret protective organization, the
other at the call of duty to State and nation, parted at their father's
gate to go their separate ways.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

A BOY'S AQUARIUM.

Boys who live in the city do not, perhaps, get quite the freedom of
action and fun generally that a country boy can, but they do manage to
have a pretty good time, even if they have to work a little harder for
it. It is hard to keep pets in the city. Dogs need a lot of exercising,
birds are apt to be a nuisance to the neighbors, if not to the boy's
family, and yet pets are a necessity to every well-brought-up boy's
happiness.

An aquarium is always