n he first saw it floating from its staff against
a back-ground of clear blue sky on the school-house lawn at Chestnut
Hill.

He held himself closely to his tasks. Only twice since he came away
had he gone back with his mother for a holiday visit at Cobb's
Corners. Grandpa Walker had a hearty handshake for him, and an
affectionate greeting. The boy was forging ahead in his calling, was
developing into a fine specimen of physical young manhood, and the old
man was proud of him. But he did not hesitate to remind him that if a
day of adversity should come the latch-string of the old house was
still out, and he would always be as welcome there as he was on that
winter day when he had come to them as an exile from Bannerhall.

One Memorial Day, as Pen stood at the entrance to the cemetery bridge
watching the procession of those going in to do honor to the patriotic
dead, he was especially impressed with the fine appearance of the
local company of the National Guard which was acting as an escort to
the veterans of the Grand Army post. The young men composing the
company were dressed in khaki, handled their rifles with ease and
accuracy, and marched with a soldierly bearing and precision that were
admirable. It occurred to Pen that it might be advisable for him to
join this body of citizen soldiery provided he had the necessary
qualifications and could be admitted to membership. It was not so much
the show and glamour of the military life that appealed to him as it
was the opportunity that such a membership might afford to be of
service to his country. Even then Europe was being devastated by a war
which had no equal in history. The German armies, trained to a point
of unexampled efficiency, with the aid of their Allies, had
overwhelmed Belgium and had almost succeeded in entering Paris and in
laying the whole of France under tribute. Beaten back at a crucial
moment they had dug themselves into the soil of the invaded country
and were holding at bay the combined forces of their Allied enemies.
Half of Europe was in arms. The tragedies of the seas were appalling.
International complications were grave and unending. More than one
statesman of prophetic foresight had predicted that a continuance of
the war must of necessity draw into the maelstrom the government of
the United States. In such an event the country would need soldiers
and many of them, and the sooner they could be put into training to
meet such a possible emergenc