Frank on a Gun-Boat

he N

bring home the evening

entered the room wh

ews in it. The Army of the Potomac has not moved yet. I don't see what mak

ave," answered his mother. "Perhaps, if McClellan should undertak

ace, and the rebels should whip me, it wouldn't do any good, fo

ment, holding in check that splendid army, which, with one blow, could have crushed out the rebellion, and allowing the rebels ample time to encircle their capital with fortification

de the blood boil in his veins, and he often wished that he could enlist with the brave defenders of his country. He grew more excited each day, as the struggle went on, and the news of a tri

ets and gone off with the others; and that very day he had met Harry Butler, who had enlisted as

read what was going on in her son's mind. She had Puritan blood in her veins; her ancestors had fought in the war of the Revolution, and she had resolved

er from Archie,

from his hand, an

, March

Cou

ays that if I go, I must have you with me, to take care of me, and keep me straight. I suppose he thinks I will never go if I am obliged to wait for you,

etter branch of the service than the army-the discipline is better; there a

r chance, if ever. Please write immediately,

aste, Archi

letter, she handed it back to

t do you think of

," answered Mrs. Nelson, dropping her sewin

y go?" inquired

my full consent to

rowing his arms around her neck, "I wish I had kno

nquired Julia, who had a vague

swered her brother. "I a

ch

rs, "you must not go. There's enough in the a

at. But you don't suppose that every one who goes to war gets sho

e to Archie, stating that he would start for Portland the next day. He spent the forenoon in wandering about the house and orchard, taking a long and lingering look at each familiar object. He locked the museum, and gave the key to Julia,

baggage to the Julia Burton drew up before the door. The parting time had

and struggling hard to keep back a sob. "We may never see you aga

kissing his sister, and shaking Hannah's hand, he hurried down the walk t

al; "you can't go with me this time. It will be a long while b

carriage, and the driver closed the door after him, and mounted to his seat and drove off. He had scarcely time to get his baggage on board the steamer before she moved off into the stream. And Frank was glad it was so, for

was getting off the cars, he was seized by A

ote just as you did, for father has said a dozen times that I ca

l as any one else. If every one was to stay

me who ought to go, for they are of no earthly use here; but he thinks that boys li

rigged out in their blue shirts and wide pants, they made fine-looking sailors. At Mr. Winters' request they were granted permission to remain on shore until a raft of men was ready to be sent away. The boys were allowed to do pretty much as they pleased while they remained, for, as they were to leave so soon, Mr. Winters could not find it in his hea

er was not an agreeable one. They had hoped to be ordered to the coast. But, as Archie remarked, it was "too late to back out," and they were obliged to submit. When Archie came to bid farewell to his parents, he found it to be a much more difficult task than he had expected. The tears would come to his eyes, in spite of himself, as he embraced his mother; and, as s

hey were treated with the greatest kindness by the officers who accompanied them, and at almost every s

marched on board a small steamer which lay alongside of the naval wharf-boat,