hy it was the dear old man thought so much of me?"

"If you have not guessed, my child. I will tell you. Years ago, when I
was the little girl you see there, he was good enough to think _I_ was
good enough to marry him. That is all."

Frank said no more, but laid the picture on his heart,--for it was his,
and the dearest part of the dear old man's legacy.

XXXV.

CONCLUSION.

After a long delay Captain Edney came; apologizing for not appearing to
welcome his drummer boy's mother and his old schoolmistress before. His
excuse was valid: one of his men, S. Tucket by name, had got into a
scrape by running off with one of Uncle Sam's carts, and he had been to
help him out of it.

He found a new light shining in the hospital--the light of woman's
influence; the light of life to Frank and his friend Atwater, nor to them
only, but to all upon whom it shone.

Mrs. Manly remained in the hospital until her son was able to travel,
when leave of absence was granted him, and all his friends crowded to bid
him farewell, as he departed in the boat with his mother for the
north--for home!

Of his journey, of his happy arrival, the greetings from father, sister,
little brother, friends--of all this I would gladly write a chapter or
two; but he is no longer the Drummer Boy now, and so our business with
him is over. And so he left the service? Not he.

"I'm to be a Soldier Boy now!" he declared to all those who came to shake
him by the hand and hear his story from his own lips.

His wound was soon healed, and he hastened to return to his regiment; for
he was eager to be learning everything belonging to the profession of a
soldier. It was not long, however, before he came north again--this time
on surprising business. Captain Edney, who had won the rank of Colonel at
the battle of Newbern, had been sent home to raise a regiment; and he had
been permitted to choose from his own company such persons as he thought
best fitted to assist him, and hold commissions under him.

He chose Gray, Seth Tucket, and Frank. Another of our friends afterwards
joined the regiment, with the rank of First Lieutenant; having quite
recovered from his wound, under the tender nursing of his wife.

With his friends Edney, Gray, Tucket, and Atwater, Frank was as happy as
ever a young officer in a new service could be. He began as second
lieutenant; but----

But here our story must end