Little Grandfather Part 11

"What you smiling for, mother?" said w.i.l.l.y. "Are you pleased to think you've got a little boy that can pound music so nice?"

"Not exactly that, my son. I was wondering whether there is room enough out of doors for that drum."

"Why, mother!" exclaimed the little soldier much chagrined. "Why, mother!"

Everybody else had complained of the din; but he thought she, with her fine musical taste, must be delighted. After this pointed slight he did not pound so much in the house, and the animals got more benefit of the noise. Towler enjoyed it hugely; and the cows might have kept step to the pasture every morning, and the hens every night to the roost, if they had had the least ear for music. Siller Noonin, who believed in witches, began to think the boy was "possessed." Love laughed, and said she did not believe that; but she was afraid w.i.l.l.y spoke the truth every day when he said so stoutly,--

"While my name is w.i.l.l.y Parlin, this drum _shall_ be heard."

She wondered if parchment would ever wear out.

He drummed with so much spirit that it had a strong effect on the little training company. They had always liked him much better than Fred, and were glad of an excuse now to make him their captain. A boy who could fife so well, and drum so well, ought to be promoted, they thought--"All in favor say Ay!"

Poor Fred was dismayed. He had always known he was unpopular; still he had not expected this.

"But how can _I_ be captain?" replied w.i.l.l.y, ready to shout with delight. "If I'm captain, who'll beat my drum?"

"Isaac Lovejoy," was the quick reply.

That settled it, and w.i.l.l.y said no more. He was now leader of the company, and Fred Chase was obliged to walk behind him as first lieutenant.

But the moment w.i.l.l.y was promoted, and before they began to march, he "took the stump," and made a stirring speech in favor of Jock Winter.

"Now see here, boys," said he, leaning on his wooden gun, and looking around him persuasively. "'All men are born free and equal.' I s'pose you know that? It's put down so in the Declaration of Independence!"

"O, yes! Ay! Ay!"

"Well, Jock Winter was born as free and equal as any of us; he wasn't born a hunchback. But see here: wouldn't you be a hunchback yourself, s'posing your father had let you fall down stairs when you was a baby? I put it to you--now wouldn't you?"

"Ay, ay," responded the boys.

"Well; and s'pose folks made fun of you just for that; how would you like it?"

"Shouldn't like it at all."

"But then Jock's just about half witted," put in Fred, faintly. He knew his power was gone, but he wanted to say something.

"Well, what if he is half-witted? He thinks more of his country than you do; twice more, and risk it."

"That's so," cried Joshua Potter. "Fred says if there's another war, _he_ won't go; he never'll stand up for a mark to be shot at, at eleven dollars a month!"

"O, for shame!" exclaimed the captain.

"Now you hush up," said Fred, reddening. "I was only in fun--of course I was! You needn't say anything, Will Parlin; a boy that has a _Tory drum_!"

"It's a good Whig drum as ever lived!" returned w.i.l.l.y. "But come, now, boys; will we have Jock Winter?"

It was a vote; and the Never-Give-Ups went over the river in a body to invite him. He lived in a log-house with his grandfather, and a negro servant known as Joe Whitehead. Old Mr. Winter was aroused from his afternoon nap by the terrific beating of the drum, and thought the British were coming down upon him.

"Joe! Joe!" cried he. "Get your scythe, Joe, and mow 'em down as fast as they come!"

When the little boys heard of this, it amused them greatly. Mistaken for the British army, indeed! Well, now, that was something worth while!

A happier soul than little, simple, round-shouldered Jock you never saw, unless it was his poor old grandfather. He could keep step with the best of them; but unfortunately he had no decent clothes. This was a great drawback, but Mrs. Parlin and Mrs. Lyman took pity on the boy, and made him a nice suit.

CHAPTER IX.

THE MUSTER.

w.i.l.l.y proved to have fine powers as a leader. Like the famous John Gilpin,

"A train-band captain eke was he, Of credit and renown,"

and the Never-Give-Ups became such an orderly, well-trained company, that some of the rich fathers made them the present of a small cannon.

Do you know what a wonderful change that made in the condition of things? Well, I will tell you. They became at once an Artillery Company!

Not poor little infantry any more, but great, brave artillery!

Every man among them cast aside his Quaker gun with contempt, and wore a cut-and-thrust sword, made out of the sharpest kind of wood. An Artillery Company,--think of that! The boys threw up their caps, and w.i.l.l.y sang,--

"Come, fill up my cup, come, fill up my can; Come, saddle your horses, and call up your men!

Come, open the west port, and let us gang free, And it's room for the bonnets of Bonny Dundee!"

There was to be a General Muster that fall, and if you suppose the Perseverance boys had thought of anything else since the Fourth of July, that shows how little you know about musters.

A muster, boys--Well, I never saw a muster, myself; but it must have been something like this:--

A mixture of guns and gingerbread; men and music; horses and hard cider.

It was very exciting,--I know that. There were plumes dancing, flags waving, cannons firing, men marching, boys screaming, dogs barking; and women looking on in their Sunday bonnets.

The "Sharp-shooters" and the "String Beans" were there from Cross Lots; the Artillery from Harlow; the "Pioneers," in calico frocks, with wooden axes, from Camden; and all the infantry and cavalry from the whole country round about.

Seth Parlin belonged to the cavalry, or "troop," and made a fine figure on horseback. w.i.l.l.y secretly wondered if he would look as well when _he_ grew up.

"Saddled and bridled and booted rode he, A plume at his helmet, A sword at his knee."

It seemed to be the general impression that the muster would do the country a great deal of good. The little artillery company, called the Never-Give-Ups, were on the ground before any one else, their cheeks painted with clear, cold air, and their hearts bursting with patriotism.

As a rule, children were ordered out of the way; but as the little Never-Give-Ups had a cannon, they were allowed to march behind the large companies, provided they would be orderly and make no disturbance.

"Boys," said w.i.l.l.y, sternly,--for he felt all the importance of the occasion,--"boys, remember, George Washington was the Father of his Country; so you've got to behave."

The boys remembered "the father of his country" for a while, but before the close of the afternoon forgot him entirely. There were several stalls where refreshments were to be had,--such as cakes, apples, mola.s.ses taffy, sugar candy, and cider by the mugful, not to mention the liquors, which were quite too fiery for the little Never-Give-Ups.