The Young Lieutenant Part 28

Captain again!

"I do not intend to fight the whole rebel army, if it is over there. I do not propose to take more than half a dozen men with me."

"I think that is a sensible view of the enterprise; for the more men you take, the greater your chances of being discovered. Select your own men, Captain Somers."

Captain Somers! The general had certainly forgotten that he was only a first lieutenant, or else he was amusing himself at his modest subordinate's expense.

"I know of several men in our regiment who are just what I want," replied Somers, hardly able to speak from embarra.s.sment, on account of the general's often-repeated mistake.

"Very well; you shall have the necessary authority to select whom you please. You may go now, and arrange your plans."

Somers saluted the general, and was about to retire, when the thought occurred to him that he might at least gratify his friend Captain de Banyan, and perhaps bring him favorably to the general's notice.

"May I be allowed to select an officer to go with me?" he asked.

"Certainly, if you desire; but you will remember that you are a young officer, going out on difficult and dangerous service, and that officers will not be so obedient as privates," suggested the general. "Whom do you desire to go with you?"

"Captain de Banyan, of our regiment."

"Captain! Why, then he will be your equal in rank, and by priority of commission, your superior."

"We shall agree remarkably well, general, though he is my superior in rank, without regard to dates," replied Somers, who by this time had come to the conclusion that the general meant something by calling him captain.

"No; you are both captains," added the general with apparent indifference.

"I beg your pardon, general; you have probably forgotten that the commission which was forwarded to me only about two weeks ago was that of first lieutenant."

"I remember all about it, Captain Somers; but, by the time you reach your quarters, there will be another commission there for you. By the way, captain, do you remember Senator Guilford?"

"I do, general; I have good reason to remember him; for he takes a deep interest in my affairs," replied Somers, whose brown face was red with blushes.

"Has a pretty daughter, hasn't he? Fell out of a railroad car and broke her arm, didn't she?"

"That was the only time I ever saw her, general," stammered Somers; "and probably I shall never see her again."

"Why, you are as cold-blooded as a frog! Why don't you write to the damsel, and tell her you are still alive, if you can't think of anything else to say?"

"I don't like to curry favor with great folks."

"I like that, captain. But you must attend to your duty now. You may have Captain de--what's-his-name--if you like."

"Captain de Banyan, sir. He is a brave and n.o.ble fellow."

"Your friend, eh?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, I remember him. He is certainly a brave fellow; for I noticed him at Glendale."

"At Oak Grove he captured the enemy's sharpshooters, who were lodged in the old house."

"I thought you did that."

"No, sir; I was under Captain de Banyan's orders at the time."

"I see; and I will remember that, Captain Somers. By the way, it would be well for you to write to Senator Guilford, just to inform him of your promotion. He has done good service for you, though I have no hesitation in saying your promotion would have been certain without his aid."

"Thank you, general," replied Somers, who fully understood the meaning of that significant remark.

We regret that the good conduct of our hero has destroyed the fitness of the t.i.tle which we had chosen for our humble volume; but we will venture to say that our sympathizing readers will rejoice with him in his advancement.

Captain Somers! The idea seemed to him as big as a mountain, when he withdrew from the presence of the general, who evidently experienced a deep satisfaction in the result of his recommendation to the authorities, and had humorously chosen this method of communicating the welcome news.

The earth seemed to be as elastic as India-rubber under the feet of the new-made captain, as he hastened back to the camp of the regiment.

He could hardly believe his senses; it was so strange that a young man like him should attain to this high rank. He wanted to "crow;" and perhaps he would have done so, if he had not considered that he must maintain the dignity of his new office.

"Captain Somers, I greet you!" exclaimed De Banyan on his return to camp.

"Who told you I was a captain?" laughed Somers.

"This doc.u.ment," replied he, handing him the ponderous official envelope.

"I congratulate you, my boy; though I'm rather disappointed to find you are not a major."

"Nonsense, captain! I would have declined a major's commission."

"Declined it!" gasped De Banyan. "Well, I don't know but you would. You are the only officer I ever knew to decline a gla.s.s of wine, and I don't know but you would decline a major's commission."

"I certainly would. Why, I'm only a boy; and I don't know but I ought to decline even a captain's commission. I'm only eighteen years old."

"What of that? There's the Fourth Vermont over there--the colonel of that regiment isn't twenty-one yet, and there isn't a better or braver officer in the army. If you decline, I'll cross you off from my list of friends.

Why, at Balaclava, when I was----"

"Balaclava and blarney!" exclaimed Somers impatiently.

"I was only going to say, that I was but seventeen when I was made a captain in the British army."

"I have been a brigadier in my own imagination, just as you were a captain, when you were seventeen. But never mind that; I am going on a scout; have got my orders."

"Ah, my boy! you are going to celebrate the arrival of your commission by active duty. I wish the generals would think of me when they want something handsome done."

"What do you say to going with me?"

"I would thank my stars for the chance."

"Well, then I have orders for you."

"Somers, my dear fellow, you touch my heart-strings!" cried the captain, jumping up, and throwing his arms around Somers in the most extravagant manner.

"On one condition," added Captain Somers.