tant consent from
his father that he should respond to his country's call, whose need
would never be more urgent than now.

"I wonder if you are on the side of the King? It would seem so natural
with a brother in the ranks," and he recalled the entertainment in his
honor at Madam Wetherill's hands. Polly, his sister, had thought the
captain charming.

"I am a rebel," she said proudly. "And I shall never be content until he
comes over to the side of the country, to the buff and blue instead of
the red."

"Surely, surely; you are a brave, patriotic girl. Wish me success in
case I want to join the rebel army," with a half-embarrassed smile. It
was not wisdom to confess all one's plans.

She put out her right hand. It was the other that had been hurt. "I wish
thee success. That means victory and a safe return," she replied with
sweet solemnity.

CHAPTER XIV.

FOR NATIVE LAND AND LOYALTY.

They all made so light of the occurrence that a note of apology from Mr.
Wharton settled the matter. Captain Nevitt felt in his cooler moments
that he had been a little to blame, also hasty and unreasonable. And
when, a few evenings after, he met pretty and vivacious Polly Wharton
and danced with her, he was very glad the matter had gone no farther.

Primrose was soon well again, but Madam Wetherill would not consent to
her going out on the river among the gay crowd, though she felt it a
great deprivation. There were two or three quiet spots on the creeks
where children could go without harm, and Patty used to take her when
Phil was engaged, though Lieutenant Vane was always inquiring if he
could not accompany them. He seemed younger and more boyish than the
captain, and proved quite delightful to the groups of children, though
he admitted laughingly that he found a great many rebels among them.

And so the days went on, one and another indignant over the "rollicking
winter" as Mr. Allen termed it, and others storming at General Howe for
the wanton destruction everywhere visible. Groves of trees were cut down
for firewood, gardens despoiled, and some of the houses taken possession
of by the troops were cut and hacked with insulting boasts, and really
ruined. Others, Continentals confessedly, railed at Washington for his
inaction and supineness.

Howe had planned one surprise and possible capture of the troops, but
heroic Lydia Darragh, having overheard the plot, walked to Washington's
camp while it was at Whitemarsh, a