"Hi, Captain Smalley! Stop for us. We've come two miles out of our way.
Now then, Roy, go ahead!"
"Do you know Rob? We want you to tell us how he is. We can't get a word
out of him; is there going to be any fighting? And how does he look in
his clothes?"
"Who is Rob?" asked Captain Smalley.
"Why, he's a soldier like you. You must know him!"
A few more explanations were made, and then the young man laughed
heartily.
"Your young friend is learning his recruit drill at the depot, I should
think. If he were in my regiment I might not be able to give you much
information about him. The army is a big affair, my boys, and I doubt if
Rob and I will ever meet."
The boys' faces fell considerably.
"Do you think he likes it?" asked Roy, anxiously; "do you like being a
soldier?"
"Of course I do, and if he has any stuff in him he will like it, too."
"And will he be sent to fight very soon?"
"I dare say he may do his seven years without a single fight!"
Roy looked very disappointed.
"If he doesn't fight, he might just as well have stopped at home. What's
the good of being a soldier if you don't have any battles?"
"Soldiers prevent battles, sometimes."
This sounded nonsense to the boys.
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