of trouble in doing so. Not only has Greece a large force of troops in
Crete who are well provisioned, and able to remain some time without
further supplies, but the whole Christian population of the island is on
the side of Greece and will fight with her.

If the Powers attack her, and try to drive her out of Crete, she will at
once attack Turkey on the mainland, and with the help of Servia, Bulgaria,
and what are known as the Balkan States (from the Balkan Mountains which
run through them) will try her best to destroy the disreputable Turkish
monarchy in Europe.

The preparations for war are going steadily on. Greece has summoned all
her army reserves, and ordered them to rejoin their regiments. All the men
are answering willingly to the call.

The army reserve is that part of the military force of a country which is
not made a portion of the regular standing army. For instance, our States
Militia, or National Guard, is an army reserve. The men belonging to it
can follow other professions, and need not be soldiers all the time; but
they learn how to be soldiers, and can be called on by the government
whenever soldiers are needed.

Our standing army is very small. We have only about thirty thousand men in
it; but our National Guard, the reserves that would be called out in case
of war, number over ten millions.

In Greece there is a penalty of $200 for any man belonging to the reserve
who does not answer the call of the country, and, moreover, neither
distance nor citizenship in another country excuses him. If he does not
answer the call, he will be arrested and imprisoned whenever he sets foot