“Well, lad, I ain’t prepared to say as how I will; but this much I’m promisin’: Go to her an’ find out how she’s feelin’ about the matter. If there’s any waverin’ in her mind I’ll step in—you see I’ll be the reserves in this case—an’ when I charge she’s bound to surrender. But if it so happens that she’s dead set against it at the start, why, you had best not vex her by tryin’ to push the matter.”
Having perfect faith in the corporal’s wisdom Isaac was thoroughly satisfied with this decision, and after the old man had promised to await his return at that point, the lad set out for home at full speed.
Perhaps if Isaac had been the only son of his mother he would have found it difficult to gain her permission for such an adventure as Corporal ’Lige had proposed.
There were five other boys in the family, 16 and Isaac was neither the oldest nor the youngest.
The fact that Mrs. Rice had so many did not cause her to be unmindful of any, but less timorous perhaps, about parting with one.
However it may be, the lad gained the desired permission providing his father would assent, and this last was little more than a formality.
Master Rice was found among the throng of citizens in front of the inn where recruiting was going on briskly.
The opportunity served to give the good man a certain semblance of patriotism when he showed himself willing that one of his sons should go for a soldier, and he would have had the boy sign the rolls then and there, but that Isaac demurred.
It was not in his mind to enlist save in the 17 company and after being again assured of the corporal’s protection, therefore he insisted on presenting himself as the old man’s recruit rather than his father’s offering.
Corporal ’Lige was well pleased when Isaac returned with a detailed account of all that had taken place, and said approvingly: