we goin' home, Colonel?"

"On the next transport, comrade."

"I s'pose we has ter live in jes a house when we goes home?" sighed the
boy.

"Why, G. W., a house isn't a bad thing--do you think so?"

"I likes tents mighty well, I does!" said G. W.

"Well, old man, don't lose heart; you're not going to live in a house
right away."

"I spect de uniform wasn't nebber found up on de hill-top, Colonel?"

"No, my boy. There was no time to hunt up lost uniforms; it was all the
boys could do to hunt up lost men."

"Colonel, what is I goin' ter do when dat transport comes in? No cloes,
no nothin'!"

Colonel Austin laughed, and many a sick man's face relaxed at the sound.

"The Colonel is laughing--G. W.'s better," murmured a weak voice, and
the good news travelled around the hospital tent.

"The Boy and his Mother are having a new suit made for you, G. W.," the
Colonel said. "The Boy thought of it the first thing."

When the transport came that was to carry the Colonel, G. W., and
several hundred others home, it had among its stores the new suit of
blue for the destitute little soldier. If anything, it was more splendid
than the first one, but it was wofully large for the poor little
body-guard. When he first appeared in it the men were about to laugh,
then grew suddenly silent as they saw the gray little dusky face, and
remembered _why_ G. W. had so shrunk. But even G. W. smiled after a
moment.

He stood up by his cot, and put his hands in the pockets and spread wide
the almost empty trouser-legs of the fine uniform.

"I clar," said he, "if you'se all didn't see me a standin' on my feet,
yo nebber would say dere were legs 'tached to my body!"

"Never mind, G. W.!" It was Corporal Jack who spoke. He, too, was going
home on the transport, and the knowledge had put a pound or so of flesh
on his bones. "Never you care, G. W.! Those shanks'll get you into God's
country; and your rightful legs will grow again up there. Lordy, G. W.,
if you only knew what is a-waiting for you!"

G. W. smiled inquiringly. Something was going to happen, as every one
seemed to know. It was evidently an army secret, and the gossip of all
the men, until G. W. drew near!

Then, smiling silence.

XI.

"IT'S ALL YOURS, G. W.!"

The cool air was sweeping, like a breath of Paradise, over the face of
little G. W. They had brought him up on deck, for the transport was
nearing home. Colonel Austin stood by, anxious; he did not like