Two Little Confederates

s head. It was understood that the army lay between Oakland and them, and surely they could never get by the innumerable soldiers who were always passing up on

t they made scarcely any difference; but the first time a reg

y of provisions for the camp next morning; so several sheep were killed, the smoke-house was opened, and all night long the great fires in the kitchen and wash-house glowed;

ore daylight, they went to bed early, and left all "the other boys"-that is, Peter and Cole an

o leave the e

aces, which Lucy Ann so delighted to make; and in a little while they were out in the yard, where Balla was standing holding three horses,-their mother's riding-horse; another with a side-sa

and the savory smell decided the boys not to eat their bre

mp, they had to set out at once. In a few minutes they were all in the saddle, the boys and their mother and Cousin Belle in front, and Balla a

into a lane only half a mile from the bridge, and, suddenly, a bugle rang out down in the wooded bottom below them, and the boys hardly could be kept from putting their horses to a run, so fearful were they that the soldiers were leaving, and that they should not see them. Their mother, however, told them that this was proba

are," exclai

r; "gallop on, Frank, and tell them we a

ards distant, they saw Frank, who had received some directions, start off again toward the bridge, at a hard gallop. The picket had told him to go straight on down the hi

s were picketed to bushes and stakes, in long rows, the saddles lying on the ground, not far off; and hundreds of men were moving about, some in full uniform and o

th a gun on his arm, who had been standing by the

oing in such a hurry,

rank, repeating as nearly as he cou

you want

patient to deliver his message before the others sh

inting to a place among the trees wh

he colonel by his noble bearing, or sp

ile a number of the men were in uni

ointing; "by that stump, ne

tin basin, and he felt that this could not be the colonel; but he did not like to appear dull, so he thanked t

his importance and treat him accordingly; but, as he passed on, instead of paying

lry?" asked one. "Which is oldest;

on the bridle, proceeded affably to ask him after his health, and that of every member of his family. At first

ound, that you were runni

nce turned the tide in his favor and diverted the ridicule from himself to his teaser, who w

way through the group that surrounded him, and riding up t

ividual, cheerily looking up with his face

that this slim, rosy-faced youngster, who was scarcely stouter than Hugh, and who was washing in a tin basi

I'm in command," said the gentle

eally the officer, and he gave his message, whi

ll you?" he called to a soldier, as Frank sprang from hi

mother. There are some ladies coming-and breakfast," he called to a group who were engage

heir uniforms, and surrounding the colonel, who, having brushed his hair with the aid of a little glass hung on a bush, had hurried i

plumes sweeping over its side, and his sword clattering at his spurred heel, he presented a very different appearance from that which he had made a little before, with his head i

to take the provisions over to the other side of the stream into the camp, and in a little while the whole regiment were enjoying the breakfas

busy attending to the wants of the ladies. The colonel,

rses were saddled and brought out; and by what seemed magic to the boys, the men, who just before were scattered about among the

arted, turning across the bridge, the feet of the horses thundering on the planks. Then the regiment wound up the hill at a walk, the men s

dier was the noblest thing on earth; a