"He is nineteen, not yet of age."
"But if there should be fighting, think you not there would be many a stripling," asked Goodwife Kendall, "of even seventeen or eighteen, who would enter the ranks on our side?"
"I have no doubt of it," answered the parson, "and it may be that very glad we shall be of the assistance of the younglings."
No one noticed how rosy grew the face of Maid Sally, or how short became her breath as the talk went on. But long ere this had she made up her mind that, should war break out, her Dream Prince would want to be in the thick of the fight, and on the right side.
The lad who stood at the edge of the lawn one night, and said, in firm, decided tones, that he meant to act as should a man, would never sit tamely down and let others struggle for the liberty he was to enjoy.
One soft evening well past mid April, Sally walked over in the direction of Ingleside. She had wearied at heart for the sound of the voice of her Fairy Prince, yet she told herself there was but little chance of hearing him, even should she go but just once more to the rocky seat. For had she not seen him go by but a few moments before in the Ingleside coach?
No; Sally thought it was he who sat beside his sister Lucretia, but she was mistaken.
"I will see if the seat still be there," she said to herself, as, entering the hedge, she saw in a moment that the great stones were just as they had been months before.
Ah! but she had been there only a few moments when she blushed and tightly clasped her hands together at sound of a well-known voice, as quick footsteps came toward the arbor.
"Now here," said the voice of the Prince, "we can talk without danger of being overheard.