But in spite of the many new and curious things she saw, in spite of the lovely music, and the merry crowd, Bessie’s mind was full of the “poor, naughty soldiers in the prison;” and when her older friends were resting in the general’s quarters, while she with the other children stayed without and watched the gay scene, she went quietly to Belle and said,—
“Belle, dear, don’t you feel rather bad about those soldiers shut up in that prison place?”
“Not when I don’t see ’em,” answered Belle. “I guess they were pretty naughty to be put in there.”
“May be so,” said Bessie; “but wouldn’t you like to be kind to them?”
“No,” said Belle. “I b’lieve not. One of them looked so cross.”
“Maybe it makes him cross to be shut up there when the music is playing, and every thing is so nice out here,” said Bessie. “Let’s go and ask them if they will promise to be good if they are let out.”
“We can’t let them out,” said Belle.
“No; but we’ll tell some one they have repented and ask for them to be let out. You know that soldier with a gun, that was walking up and down there? well, I guess he’s a kind of soldier-policeman and we’ll ask him. The prison is just outside of that gate-hole,” said Bessie, pointing to the archway by which the fort was entered; “and we will be back in a moment.”
“Shall we ask Maggie to go?” said Belle.
“No, Maggie was so frightened at them. She is over there with Harry, looking at those ugly black balls; so we won’t ’sturb her, but just go by ourselves.”