"I know not," returned Uncle Daniel. "Wouldst care to be a soldier, son? Hast thought aught of it?"
William looked his uncle firmly in the eye and grasped the edge of the table. "Aye, many, many times. I doubt not I know the drill already, sir. I watch them at the castle every week," he said.
"Let's make a soldier of him, Mr. Frothingham," spoke up the officer. "There's a young cornet in my regiment who is poor in health and would sell out. Why not buy the red coat and the commission for the lad? I could take him with me and have him under my eye. Would you fight in America, young sir?"
"Aye," said William; "or anywhere."
"We sail in the Minerva in a fortnight come next Thursday," went on the Colonel. "It's bad weather on the Atlantic, but we wish to show them what a crack regiment can do. I have under me the pick of the service."
"H—um," said Uncle Daniel, thoughtfully, looking at his nephew with something of pride and affection in his small twinkling eyes. "Wouldst like to go, son?" he inquired.
William's reserve broke down. His mind was crowded with many things, and his heart torn with conflicting emotions. How strange it would be to be arrayed upon the other side with George, his brother, who still held all his love and affection, against him! Could he do it? And then the words that he had once penned George came up into his mind. "For the King, for the King," kept repeating themselves. "Uncle Daniel," he said, his under lip quivering, "if you would let me go, I would try to do my duty."
"Well spoken, well said, my young friend," put in the Colonel, leaning across the table and taking William's hand. "'Twould take no pains to make a soldier of such. Frothingham, let him go with me."
The expression on the red face had softened, and the old man for a moment paused. He followed a seam in the table with his forefinger thoughtfully. "He can go if he so wills. I will buy him the commission," he said at last.
William's heart bounded. Time and again, though his uncle had not known it, the sight of a marching regiment, the call of a bugle, and the steadily moving line had tempted him so strongly that he had almost felt like doing what many lads of his age had done under the same impulse—enlist and go into the ranks. Now was the chance offered to him to serve in a more legitimate and comfortable position. "I shall feel honored, sir," he said, in his dignified manner, "if you will accept my service, and take me with you."