Captain Sam: The Boy Scouts of 1814

again, I'll drive my f

rather thin face, upon which there was as yet no trace of coming beard, high cheek bones, and eyes that seemed almost to emit sparks of fire as their lids snapped rapidly together. He spoke in a low tone, wi

e made up their minds to use, do not display them in a threatening manner. That is the device of bullies who think to frighten their adversaries by the threatening exhibition as they do by their threatening words. Sam Hardwicke was not a bully, and he did not wish to

is determination, a

I will say it to you as an officer should talk to soldiers on a

ine, and their commander st

join General Jackson and serve as a soldier you boys proposed to go with me. I agreed, with a condition, and that condition was that we should organize ourselves into a company, elect a captain, and march to Camp Jackson under his command, not go there like a parcel of school-boys or a flock of sheep and

ll be held to blame and I shall be to blame. But not a man of you shall misbehave. I am your commander, you made me that, and you can't undo it.

went up,

cried the boys. "Three

Huzza!

utineer, who had provoked the young captain's anger by insisting upon quitting the camp without

ound a master in his former school-mate, and forebore

arlier than usual that day for reasons of his own, which he did not explain to his fellows. Jake Elliott had objected, and his objection being peremptorily overruled by Sam, he had undertaken to go on alone to the point at which he wished to pass the remainder of

ly put down, he brooded s

Elliott was silent and sullen through it all, and when at last Sam ordered all to their rest for the night, Jake crept off to a tree near the edge of the prescribed camp limits and threw himself dow

while, "and I wonder you let him talk so sh

ut you

lightning too, and he's got

for him, 'cause you was afra

we are afraid o' him, an' between him an' you there wa'nt no call for us to

a purty soldier, aint you. A soldier owning

are, else you wouldn't 'a' shut up that

ou're done with it. I didn't choose to say anything then, b

had insisted upon accompanying Sam in his campaigns; "Mas' Jake, I'se dun know'd Mas' Sam a good deal better'n you know him, an' I'se dun seed a good many things try to git even

scal," was the only reply

tell you 'cause you might make a sort o' 'zastrous mistake you know

al," replied Jake, "or

later the camp was slumbering quietly in the starlight, Sam sleeping by himself under a clum