The Soldier Boy; or, Tom Somers in the Army

ght Adv

Table of

berton's house was fastened upon him, he was not at all disposed to submit to the fate which appeared to be in store for him. The idea of becoming

d was suggestive of broken limbs, if not of a broken neck. Tom had read the Life of Baron Trenck, and of Step

d to the ground, occurred to him; but he had not much confidence in the project. He lay quietly on the bed till he heard the clocks on the churches at the Harbor strike twelve. It was time then, if ever, for the fami

have formed one half of an irregular octagon. In each side of the chamber there was a small door, opening into the space near the eaves of the house, which was used to store old trunks, old b

bed had not prompted him to do before. The house was old, and the floors had a tendency to creak beneath his tread. With the utmos

ndreary might have been happy to indulge, but which might have been fatal to the execution of Tom Somers's purpose. He rubbed his nose, and held his handkerchief over the intractable member, and succeeded in overcoming its d

om enjoyed it. As he worked his way through the labyrinth of antiquities, he could not but picture to himself the surprise and chagrin of Squire Pemberton, when he should come

s," said he to himself, while his imaginati

quities, and stood in the open space in front of the finished chamber. With one boot in each hand, he felt his way to the stairs, and des

case to guide him, he struck his foot against the pole upon which Fred Pemberton had suspended the flag out of the window. It was very careless of the squire, when he took the flag in, to leave the stick in that unsafe position, for one of h

decent and orderly. This catastrophe had the effect to quicken the steps of the young man. He reached the stairs, and had commenced a r

?" demanded the squire, i

ese pressing interrogatories, but quickly ret

quick," said the squi

igure robed in white. Though it was the solemn hour of midnight, and Tom, I am sorry to say, had read the Th

" called the

e glimmer of the light below, which Mrs. Pemberton had procured, and the race seemed to be up. Concealment was no longer practicable, a

e was upon the roof of the portico. Throwing his boots down, he grasped the gutter, and "hung off." He was now on terra

the squire's big bull dog, when he came to realiz

sit to the cattle about nine in the evening. Tom was thoroughly alarmed when this new enemy confronted him; but fortunately he ha

d fellow! Don't you know me, Tige?" said Tom, whose

ked, snarled, howled, and growled, and manifested as strong an indisposition to compromise as a South Carolina fire-eater. He placed himself in front of the hero of th

t struck against a heavy cart stake, which seemed to suggest his next resort. He was well aware that any quick movement on his part would cause the dog to spring upon him. Placing his to

nded to cure a love of mutton on the hoof, or beef on the shelf. The brute retreated a few paces; but at this moment

! Stu' boy!" sh

, and he levelled a blow at the head of the bull dog, which, if it had hit him fairly, must have smashed in his skull. As it was, t

t, as a mower does his scythe. His object was to hit the legs of the dog-a plan which was not entirely original with him, for he had seen it adopted with signal success by a fisherman at the Harbor. The consequence of this change of tactic

n still stood at the door trying to bring Tige to a sense of his duty in the trying emergency; but the brute had more regard for his

, he went to the kitchen window, where he had heard the patriotic remar

d, mother?" inquired he, when

her lip in silen

Thomas," said s

as another hour before Tom's excited brain would per