CHAPTER IX.
THE MUSTER.
Willy proved to have fine powers as a leader. Like the famous John Gilpin,
"A train-band captain eke was he,
Of credit and renown,"
and the Never-Give-Ups became such an orderly, well-trained company, that some of the rich fathers made them the present of a small cannon.
Do you know what a wonderful change that made in the condition of things? Well, I will tell you. They became at once an Artillery Company! Not poor little infantry any more, but great, brave artillery!
Every man among them cast aside his Quaker gun with contempt, and wore a cut-and-thrust sword, made out of the sharpest kind of wood. An Artillery Company,—think of that! The boys threw up their caps, and Willy sang,—
"Come, fill up my cup, come, fill up my can;
Come, saddle your horses, and call up your men!
Come, open the west port, and let us gang free,
And it's room for the bonnets of Bonny Dundee!"