The vote was probably the finest collection of assorted sounds ever heard outside of a ship-yard. Right in the middle of it, the door burst open, and in rushed Minnie, the cook, with a dipper of water, under the impression that her favorite fear of fire had at last come to pass. Close behind her was the Quartermaster-General, sometimes known as Mother, while almost at the same instant old John, the gardener, ran up on the porch with an axe, shouting hopefully, "Hould him! I'm comin'!" under the impression that there was a fight of sorts well under way. The voting stopped suddenly, and the Captain looked quite ashamed as he explained. Mother pretended to be very indignant. "Some day," she said, "you'll all be in terrible danger and you'll shout and yell and scream and bellow for help but not one of us will come, will we, John?" "Divil a step," called back John, as he clumped disappointedly down the steps, his unused axe over his shoulder. The Quartermaster-General agreed to withdraw her threat only after the Captain had pledged the honor of the Band that there should be no further disgustful noises within the house. Thereafter there were hurryings and skurryings and dashings to and fro, in preparation for the great adventure. Honey put fresh rubbers on his trusty sling-shot, with which he could frequently hit a barn-door at five paces. Trottie oiled up the air-rifle, which he was only allowed to use in windowless wildernesses. Henny-Penny kept up such a fusillade with his new pop-gun, that the Captain threatened to send him forth unarmed on the morrow if he heard but one more pop. Alice-Palace's practice, however, was the most spectacular. She had a water-pistol which, when properly charged, would propel a stream of water an unbelievable distance. From the bathroom door she took a snap-shot at Henny-Penny, who was approaching her confidingly. The charge took effect in the very centre of a large pink ear, and it was a long time before Henny-Penny could be convinced that he was not mortally wounded. At last the Captain ordered bed and perfect silence within fifteen minutes, under penalty of being shot at sunrise. "Nobody couldn't shoot me at sunrise," boasted Corporal Alice-Palace, as she started up the stairs, "cause I wouldn't get up." The next morning at dawn, from the Captain's room sounded the clear whistle of the cardinal grosbeak--the adventure-call of the Band. Followed thumps, splashings, and the sounds of rapid dressing from the third story where the Band bivouacked. "If there be any here," announced the Captain after breakfast, "who for the sake of their wives and families wish to draw back, now is the time. Once on the way, it will be too late." "I haven't got any wife," piped up Henny-Penny, "nor any family 'cept this one, but I want to come." Similar sentiments were expressed by the rest of the Band. The Captain said that it made the blood run faster in his shriveled old veins to have such gallant comrades.