best not vex her by tryin' to push the matter."

Having perfect faith in the corporal's wisdom Isaac was thoroughly
satisfied with this decision, and after the old man had promised to
await his return at that point, the lad set out for home at full speed.

Perhaps if Isaac had been the only son of his mother he would have found
it difficult to gain her permission for such an adventure as Corporal
'Lige had proposed.

There were five other boys in the family, and Isaac was neither the
oldest nor the youngest.

The fact that Mrs. Rice had so many did not cause her to be unmindful of
any, but less timorous perhaps, about parting with one.

However it may be, the lad gained the desired permission providing his
father would assent, and this last was little more than a formality.

Master Rice was found among the throng of citizens in front of the inn
where recruiting was going on briskly.

The opportunity served to give the good man a certain semblance of
patriotism when he showed himself willing that one of his sons should go
for a soldier, and he would have had the boy sign the rolls then and
there, but that Isaac demurred.

It was not in his mind to enlist save in the company and after being
again assured of the corporal's protection, therefore he insisted on
presenting himself as the old man's recruit rather than his father's
offering.

Corporal 'Lige was well pleased when Isaac returned with a detailed
account of all that had taken place, and said approvingly:

"You have shown yourself to be a lad of rare discretion, Isaac Rice, and
I will take it upon myself to see that such forethought brings due
reward. Suppose you had signed the rolls at the inn? What would you be
then? Nothin' more than a private."

"But that is all I shall be when I sign them with you, corporal."

"It may appear that way, I'm free to admit lad; but still you will be a
deal higher than any non-commissioned officer, because you'll be under
my wing, and when we have taken Ticonderoga, though I ain't admitting
that's the proper name of the fort--when we've taken that, I say, you'll
be fit for any kind of a commission that you're qualified to hold."

"Yes," Isaac replied doubtfully, and then he fell to speculating as to
whether even though Corporal 'Lige did not "take him under his wing," he
might not be fit to fill any position for which "he was qualified."

While he was thus musing a messenger came from Master Phelps saying the
recrui