Micah Ward said a long grace, in which he thanked the Almighty for the
fish, the ham, the eggs, the porridge, and his brother's return from
America. As a kind of supplement, he added a prayer for the peace of
his household, in which Hannah Macaulay, appropriately enough under the
circumstances, was especially named.

After supper the two brothers drew their chairs to the fire. It was late
in May, but the air was still chilly in the evenings. Hannah took down
from the mantel-piece two well-polished brass candlesticks, fitted them
with tall dipt candles, and set them on the table she had cleared of
plates and dishes. Donald took a tobacco-box from his pocket, and filled
a pipe.

"Neal," said his father, "you may go to your own room and complete the
transcription of the passages of Josephus which you left unfinished this
morning."

"Let the lad stay," said Donald.

"Neal knows nothing of the matters about which we must talk, brother,
nor do I think it well that he should know; not yet, at least."

"Let the lad stay," repeated Donald. "I've seen younger men than he is
doing good work. Neal ought to be working, too. We cannot do anything
without the young men."

Micah Ward yielded to his brother.

"Draw your chair to the fire, Neal," he said. "You may stay and listen
to us."

At first the talk was of old days. An hour went by. Donald filled his
pipe more than once, and finished his tumbler of punch. Story followed
story of the doings of the Hearts of Steel and Hearts of Oak. Donald,
as a boy, had taken his part--and that a daring part--in the fierce
struggle by which the northern tenant-farmers gained fuller security
and a chance of prospering a whole century before their brethren in the
south and west, with the aid of the English Parliament, won the same
privileges. Then Donald, speaking oftener and smoking less, told of
his own share in the American War of Independence. Neal, listening, was
thrilled with the stories of unequal battles between citizen soldiers
and trained troops. He glowed with excitement as he came to understand
the indomitable courage which faced reverse after reverse and snatched
complete victory in the end. Donald dwelt much on the part which
Irishmen had taken in the struggle, especially on the work of Ulster
men, Antrim men, men of the hard northern breed, of the Presbyterian
faith.

"There's no breaking our people, Micah; men of iron, men of steel."

"Shall iron break the northern ir