Chapter II: Robert and the Regiment

"MAMMA," softly called Ellen the next morning, "please come here a moment, and see what Robert is doing."

The lady followed, wondering what would happen next.

Ellen quietly pushed open the door leading into the library. And there sat the boy in a rocking-chair, in the centre of the room, his fingers pressed into his ears, a large shade covered with green silk tied over his eyes, with his book in his lap, rocking himself with all his might.

"What is orthoepy?" he was saying. "Orthoepy is—is—bother it, I thought I knew that Orthoepy is,—is—" He stamped his foot,—"I can't remember it; I think it's wicked for me to study grammar, it makes me so angry; I mean to tell aunt Josephine so."

The lady and her daughter darted from the room without being seen. Presently, she sent a servant to tell Robert she would like to see him.

"I have tried; indeed, aunty. I wouldn't go to sleep last night till I made a resolution to begin right off. I shut Major up in the coal cellar, so he needn't take off my attention, and—I—really I—"

"No matter now, Robert. I want you to do something for me. Part of a regiment of soldiers are going to pass here in a few minutes, and I want you to count them. I have a particular reason for wishing to know how many there are. Do you think you can do it?"

"Oh, yes, aunty; 'deed I can! I know how to count right smart."

Robert's brown eyes kindled, and there was an expression of resolution on his face seldom seen there.

"Stand in the bay window," added the lady, "and be sure you count correctly."

"Yes, aunty. I believe I hear the music now. No, it's poor Major. Shall I have time to let him out?"

"I think so."

Robert flew over the stairs, opened the cellar door, and not waiting to answer Major's joyful bark, was speedily back at his place in the bay window.

In a few moments, a company of boys running on the sidewalk, continually looking behind them, gave intimation that the soldiers were in sight, and presently the sound of martial music was heard.

"Must I count the band too, aunty?" cried Robert, his cheeks crimson with excitement, and not daring to turn his eyes from the window.

"No, none but the officers and soldiers."

Five, ten, fifteen minutes passed, and still the boy stood, his attention so completely absorbed in the business of counting that he noticed nothing that was passing in the room.

"Two, four, six, eight," he went on aloud as they marched by two and two in regular, martial order. It was fortunate for him that they were not marching in double quick time; indeed the regiment was passing from New York to Washington by the Baltimore and Ohio cars, and knew that they had abundant time to walk leisurely from one station to another.

When the last one had passed out of sight, Robert threw up his arras with a triumphant shout.

"Just seven hundred and sixty-eight, officers and all. Oh, don't I wish I was a soldier? Didn't they look splendidly, though?"

"You forget, Robert," said his aunt in a sad tone, "that it is not all of a soldier's duty to march leisurely through the streets in dress uniform to the sound of music, and with admiring spectators thronging the windows. Don't you remember the line of ambulances after the last battle?"

"I shall never forget that sight as long as I live," faltered Ellen. They went so slowly along, and then one after another backed up to the door of the great hospital. The nurses seemed real kind though and took hold of the litters as though they truly pitied them. "Oh, mamma, wasn't it dreadful; so many without arms and legs, and their heads done up in towels. Don't you remember how we sat up all night tearing bandages and scraping lint, and making beef tea and coffee for the nurses?"

"Oh, that's only once in a great while!" suggested Robert. "I heard some gentlemen talking about it, and they said only one in two or three hundred were ever hurt. I mean to be a soldier when I'm a man."

"I thought you meant to be a pig-driver," said Ellen archly.

"Oh, I gave that up with short dresses!" exclaimed Robert laughing heartily. "When I began to wear pants, I changed my mind and said I'd be a constable!"

"A constable has to be very tall and strong," urged Ellen. "Now you grow very fast, but it is all in breadth."

"I've resolved this long time to be a soldier."

"Your mother will never consent."

"Then I shall run away, and join the army. After that, I shall write to her, and tell her what a splendid time I'm having, and how I like it and then she wont care."

"That would be very wrong, Robert," remarked his aunt.

"I don't think there's much danger of his really doing it, mamma, he is too fond of lying in bed and taking his ease, and having a good dinner, to enlist for marching through swamps and sleeping on the ground and eating hard tack and raw pork."

"Pshaw! That's just as much as girls know," angrily retorted Robert. "I've been in camp before I came to Baltimore, and I know all about it."