ity
was ever presented? Discouraged and perplexed as he was, the boy could
still think clearly enough to draw a contrast between this arbitrary
action of a so-called government, which claimed to be fighting for the
rights of its people, to do as they pleased and the course pursued by
the Union General Lyon at the battle of Wilson's Creek. Rodney learned
through some prisoners his regiment captured (and history to-day
confirms the story) that Lyon had seven thousand men when he reached
Springfield; two thousand short-term men demanded their release and got
it; and the Union commander went on and fought the battle with five
thousand. Perhaps the old government was not quite so bad after all.

"But you see, sir," said Rodney, after a moment's reflection, "my
comrade and I do not come under the terms of the Conscription Act. We
are not yet eighteen years of age."

The surprised look that came over the general's face showed very plainly
that that was a point that had slipped his mind entirely. The boy had
him there, and he hardly knew whether to laugh or get angry over it.

"And do you intend to take advantage of that provision of the Act?" he
inquired.

"We'd like to, sir," was all Rodney thought it prudent to say in reply.
His superior was nettled, and the boy wanted to leave him in good humor
and get out of his presence as soon as possible.

"That settles it," said the general, getting upon his feet and knocking
the ashes from his pipe in a manner which seemed to say that the
interview was at an end. "I'll take pains to see your colonel, but I do
hope there are not many in my command whose ages are under eighteen or
over thirty-five. However, I may be able to infuse a little patriotism
into them, and shall have something to say about it in a general
order."

"I thank you, sir, for the assurance," replied Rodney.

He made his best salute and retired, but during the rest of the day he
was not as jubilant as he had been when he came off post; and when he
went back that night to do duty at the general's tent, he took note of
the fact that his commander paid no more attention to him than he would
have paid to an entire stranger. Rodney felt hurt at that, and as soon
as he could do so, after guard-mount the next morning, he hunted up his
friend Dick and told him the whole story. He wanted sympathy and
encouragement and got both.

"You did perfectly right," said Dick, emphatically. "We could have
passed the examination