Oh, I am getting along finely, thank you, sir."

"Do you think you will be strong enough to travel, soon?"

"Yes, sir," answered Frank, wondering what made the captain ask that
question.

"How would you enjoy a trip home?"

"Oh, I should enjoy it above all things, sir I never was away from
home so long before, in my life."

"Well," said the captain, as he rose to go, "you must hurry and get
well as fast as you can. The doctor told me that he thought you ought
to go North and recruit a little; so I wrote to the Admiral, and
obtained you a sick-leave. The dispatch boat will be along in a day
or two, and I will send you up the river on her. I think it is nothing
more than right that you should go home for a couple of months, at
least, for you have been through a good deal for a young man of your
age."

The thought that he was soon to see his home again did Frank more good
than all the medicine the doctor had given him; and, by the time the
mail steamer arrived, he was able to walk about. In two weeks they
arrived at Cairo. The steamer had scarcely touched the wharf-boat
before Archie, who had seen his cousin standing on deck, sprang on
board.

We can not describe the meeting. To Archie it was like finding one
risen from the dead; for he had heard of Frank's capture, and had
never expected to see him again. A multitude of questions were asked
and answered on both sides; and when Frank informed Archie that he
was on his way home, the latter abruptly left him, and hurried to the
fleet paymaster to ask permission to accompany his cousin. This, as
business was dull, and as Archie had always been very faithful, was
readily obtained. They made preparations for immediate departure.
After Archie had telegraphed to his father that Frank was safe--taking
care, however, not to say one word about their coming home--they took
their seats in the cars, and soon arrived safely in Portland. Frank
remained there only one day, and then set out for Lawrence.

Only those who have been in similar circumstances can imagine what
Frank's feelings were, as he stood on the deck of the Julia Burton,
and found himself once more in sight of his native village. Familiar
objects met his eye on every side. There were the weeds that
surrounded the perch-bed, where he, in company with George and Harry
Butler, was fishing when he made the acquaintance of Charles Morgan,
who was afterward the leader of the Regulators. Above the perch-bed
was the bas