"I fear we shall," said the shopman, "and if many men are of your
mind, I hope, sir, you will recommend my shop to them. I shall be
happy to supply all true patriots with the very best English
muskets."

My new master smiled, and took me home to his house in the country.

The family consisted of himself, his wife, and three children--two
sons and a daughter. The eldest son was eighteen, the second
sixteen, and the daughter fourteen. The mistress of the house turned
pale when she saw my master bring me in and quietly set me down in a
corner of the room behind the old clock.

Presently the two young men entered. The younger shuddered a little
when he saw me, but the elder clapped his hands and exclaimed,
"That's good! We have got a musket now, and the English will find
out that we know how to use it!"

"Pray to God, my son," said his mother, "that we may never have to
use it."

The boy did not give much heed to what his mother said, but took me
up, examined me all over, and, after snapping my trigger two or
three times, pronounced me to be a real good musket, and placed me
again in the corner where his father had put me at first.

The next day, my master took me out to try me. I confess I was not
pleased at the first charge with which I was loaded. When I felt the
powder, ball, wadding and all, rammed down so hard, it was as