ting was coming to an end in this town, and the party would set
out that same afternoon on their way to Bennington, expecting to enlist
volunteers from Colonel Easton's regiment of militia as they passed
through the country.

"Never you fear but that I'll be right at my post of duty when the
command is given to form ranks," Corporal 'Lige said to the messenger,
and after the latter had departed he added as he turned to the boy,
"Now, Isaac, lad, you can see what they think of Corporal 'Lige. Colonel
Easton and Master Brown are hangin' 'round the inn instead of waitin'
for the committee to visit them. An' what do I do? Why, I stay quietly
here, knowin' they can't well get along without me, an' instead of
coolin' my heels among a lot of raw recruits, I'm sent for when the time
is come, as if I was a staff officer. That's one thing you want to bear
in mind. If you don't count yourself of any importance, other people are
mighty apt to pass you by as a ne'er-do-well."

"But I haven't enlisted yet, corporal."

"Of course you have. When you said to me 'I'm ready to go as your
apprentice in this 'ere business,' it was jest the same as if you'd
signed the rolls. I'll arrange all that matter with Master Phelps, my
lad. Now do you hasten home; get what you can pick up in the way of an
outfit; borrow your father's gun, and kind of mention the fact to your
mother that the more she gives in the way of provisions the better
you'll be fed, for you an' me are likely to mess together."

"How much are you going to take, corporal?"

"That will depend a good deal on what kind of a supply your mother
furnishes. I'm willin' to admit she's nigh on to as good a cook as can
be found in Pittsfield, an' will take my chances on what she puts up for
you, providin' there's enough of it."

"Of course you are to take your musket?"

"I should be a pretty poor kind of a soldier if I didn't, lad--the same
one I used under Abercrombie," and he pointed with his thumb toward the
interior of the dwelling where, as Isaac knew, a well-worn weapon hung
on hooks just over the fireplace. "It's one of the king's arms, an' I
reckon will do as good service against him as it did for him, which is
saying considerable, lad, as Major Putnam can vouch for. Now set about
making ready, for we two above all others must not be behind-hand when
the column moves."

A fine thing it was to be a soldier, so Isaac thought as he went
leisurely from Corporal 'Lige's log hut