r
promotion. He has done good service for you, though I have no hesitation
in saying your promotion would have been certain without his aid."

"Thank you, general," replied Somers, who fully understood the meaning of
that significant remark.

We regret that the good conduct of our hero has destroyed the fitness of
the title which we had chosen for our humble volume; but we will venture
to say that our sympathizing readers will rejoice with him in his
advancement.

Captain Somers! The idea seemed to him as big as a mountain, when he
withdrew from the presence of the general, who evidently experienced a
deep satisfaction in the result of his recommendation to the authorities,
and had humorously chosen this method of communicating the welcome news.
The earth seemed to be as elastic as India-rubber under the feet of the
new-made captain, as he hastened back to the camp of the regiment.

He could hardly believe his senses; it was so strange that a young man
like him should attain to this high rank. He wanted to "crow;" and
perhaps he would have done so, if he had not considered that he must
maintain the dignity of his new office.

"Captain Somers, I greet you!" exclaimed De Banyan on his return to camp.

"Who told you I was a captain?" laughed Somers.

"This document," replied he, handing him the ponderous official envelope.
"I congratulate you, my boy; though I'm rather disappointed to find you
are not a major."

"Nonsense, captain! I would have declined a major's commission."

"Declined it!" gasped De Banyan. "Well, I don't know but you would. You
are the only officer I ever knew to decline a glass of wine, and I don't
know but you would decline a major's commission."

"I certainly would. Why, I'm only a boy; and I don't know but I ought to
decline even a captain's commission. I'm only eighteen years old."

"What of that? There's the Fourth Vermont over there--the colonel of that
regiment isn't twenty-one yet, and there isn't a better or braver officer
in the army. If you decline, I'll cross you off from my list of friends.
Why, at Balaclava, when I was----"

"Balaclava and blarney!" exclaimed Somers impatiently.

"I was only going to say, that I was but seventeen when I was made a
captain in the British army."

"I have been a brigadier in my own imagination, just as you were a
captain, when you were seventeen. But never mind that; I am going on a
scout; have got my orders."

"Ah, my boy! you are going to