rance recognize our independence--and that will
not be long, for England must have cotton--and then we can snap our
fingers at the Yankees. You can take your choice of one of two things:
Stay at home and look out for your mother and let me go, or go
yourself."

"You stay and let me go," answered the boy promptly. "I gave my word to
some of the fellows that I would enlist within twenty-four hours after I
reached home, if I could get to a recruiting office, and they promised
to do the same."

"Very well," said Mr. Gray, "I shall not say one word to turn you from
your purpose, and neither will your mother,"

Mrs. Gray started when she heard these words. She had talked very
bravely about "giving her boy his sword and shield and sending him forth
to battle," and she had thought she could do it without a tremor; but
now that the matter was brought right home to her, she found, as many
another mother did, that it was going to be the hardest task she had
ever set for herself. Rodney was safe at school, hundreds of miles away
from her when she uttered those patriotic words; now he was within
hearing of her voice, and all she had to do was to tell him to mount his
horse and go. She could not do it; but her husband, who believed that
the matter might as well be settled one time as another, continued--

"There is an independent company of cavalry camped about a mile the
other side of Mooreville, and I know they would be glad to take you in.
The company is made up of the very best men in the county, many of whom
are your personal friends, and every member has to be balloted for."

"They are nearly all wealthy, and some of them are going to take their
body servants to the front with them," added Mrs. Gray, trying to look
cheerful although her eyes were filled with tears. "Your father and I
spent an afternoon in their camp, and you don't know how nicely they are
situated--all the luxuries the country affords on their tables, and then
they are so full of martial ardor!"

"Yes," assented Mr. Gray. "We found it a regulation holiday
camp--nothing to do and plenty of darkies to do it. They were having no
end of fun, lying around in the shade abusing the Yankees. But wait
until they meet those same Yankees in battle, and their blacks run away
from them, and then they have to do their own cooking and forage for
their bacon and hard-tack, and then they will know what soldiering
means."

"Now, father," protested Mrs. Gray. "Why do you