spirit that it had a strong effect on the little
training company. They had always liked him much better than Fred, and
were glad of an excuse now to make him their captain. A boy who could
fife so well, and drum so well, ought to be promoted, they
thought--"All in favor say Ay!"

Poor Fred was dismayed. He had always known he was unpopular; still he
had not expected this.

"But how can _I_ be captain?" replied Willy, ready to shout with
delight. "If I'm captain, who'll beat my drum?"

"Isaac Lovejoy," was the quick reply.

That settled it, and Willy said no more. He was now leader of the
company, and Fred Chase was obliged to walk behind him as first
lieutenant.

But the moment Willy was promoted, and before they began to march, he
"took the stump," and made a stirring speech in favor of Jock Winter.

"Now see here, boys," said he, leaning on his wooden gun, and looking
around him persuasively. "'All men are born free and equal.' I s'pose
you know that? It's put down so in the Declaration of Independence!"

"O, yes! Ay! Ay!"

"Well, Jock Winter was born as free and equal as any of us; he wasn't
born a hunchback. But see here: wouldn't you be a hunchback yourself,
s'posing your father had let you fall down stairs when you was a baby? I
put it to you--now wouldn't you?"

"Ay, ay," responded the boys.

"Well; and s'pose folks made fun of you just for that; how would you
like it?"

"Shouldn't like it at all."

"But then Jock's just about half witted," put in Fred, faintly. He knew
his power was gone, but he wanted to say something.

"Well, what if he is half-witted? He thinks more of his country than you
do; twice more, and risk it."

"That's so," cried Joshua Potter. "Fred says if there's another war,
_he_ won't go; he never'll stand up for a mark to be shot at, at eleven
dollars a month!"

"O, for shame!" exclaimed the captain.

"Now you hush up," said Fred, reddening. "I was only in fun--of course I
was! You needn't say anything, Will Parlin; a boy that has a _Tory
drum_!"

"It's a good Whig drum as ever lived!" returned Willy. "But come, now,
boys; will we have Jock Winter?"

It was a vote; and the Never-Give-Ups went over the river in a body to
invite him. He lived in a log-house with his grandfather, and a negro
servant known as Joe Whitehead. Old Mr. Winter was aroused from his
afternoon nap by the terrific beating of the drum, and thought the
British were coming down upon him.

"Joe! Joe