"What is the prospect of obtaining the men, father?"

"Four have already enlisted, but twenty-one are still required. I
fear there will be some difficulty in obtaining the full number.
In a farming town like ours the young men are apt to go off to
other places as soon as they are old enough; so that the lot must
fall upon some who have families."

Frank sat for some minutes gazing thoughtfully into the wood-fire
that crackled in the fireplace.

"I wish I was old enough to go, father," he said, at length.

"I wish you were," said his father earnestly. "Not that it
wouldn't be hard to send you out into the midst of perils; but
our duty to our country ought to be paramount to our personal
preferences."

"There's another reason," he said, after awhile, "why I wish you
were older. You could take my place on the farm, and leave me
free to enlist. I should have no hesitation in going. I have not
forgotten that my grandfather fought at Bunker Hill."

"I know, father," said Frank, nodding; "and that's his musket
that hangs up in your room, isn't it?"

"Yes; it was his faithful companion for three years. I often
think with pride of his services. I have been trying to think all
day whether I couldn't make some arrangement to have the farm