"Yes, I."

"Did mother say so?"

"No, but she won't care."

"Did you ask her?"

"No; I didn't think of going till after I started from home."

"Don't think of it, Jack. It would be an awful blow to mother to have both
of us go."

For half an hour Tom argued the matter with John; but the military
enthusiasm of the latter had been so aroused by the march and its
attendant circumstances, that he could not restrain his inclination.

"If I don't join this company, I shall some other," said John.

"I shall have to go home again, if you do; for I won't have mother left
alone. We haven't been mustered in yet. Besides, I thought you wanted to
go into the navy."

"I do; but I'm bound to go somehow," replied John.

But what neither Tom nor Captain Benson could do, was accomplished by
Captain Barney, who declared John should go home with him if he had to
take him by the collar. The ardent young patriot yielded as gracefully as
he could to this persuasion.