They had but just finished their work when a shout from Willie called mamma to the door, where she saw a company of boys awaiting her orders.
"Come in," she said, smiling at their bright, expectant faces; "come in, and we will form the company."
As they entered the hall they stopped short at sight of the beautifully plumed caps. "O mamma!" was all that Willie could say.
She led them into the dining hall, and then told them her plan. "I want to form a company of boys," she began. "It will be called the 'Try Company,' because every one belonging to it must learn to try to do things for himself. But first of all I must tell you the rules. No little boy can join my company unless he will promise not to use one naughty or vulgar word, not to tell a lie, and not to be unkind. If he has ever told lies, he must try to do so no more. Next he must try in his lessons. Sometimes the words are very long, and boys say, 'I can't learn them;' but my company will never say so.
"My boys will say, 'I'll try.' If the geography lesson is difficult, and you can't readily find the places on the maps, you will think of your pretty plumes, and say, 'I won't give up; I'll try again.'
"Then, when the sum is long, and it makes your head ache to add up four and ten and two and five, you won't mind that, but keep on trying until you succeed."
"Mother wants to know if my little brother can't join your company," asked a dear boy whose name was James; "but he don't learn sums; he is too small."
"O, yes, indeed!" said mamma; "Frankie has a cap like the rest, and your brother shall have one too, and a star on his shoulder."
"May I carry my drum?" eagerly asked Willie.
"Certainly, my dear; but wait a little. I have not told all the rules yet. My company must try, too, when they are at play. If James throws a ball, and hits John, he must try not to do so again. And if John feels a little angry, and thinks it very hard for James to hurt him, he must try to put all these naughty thoughts away, and call it an accident, and say 'I don't believe he meant to do it.' Then, if James or Willie wants to be captain, and the company choose another, James or Willie must try to be pleased and good humored about it."