"But how can _I_ be captain?" replied Willy, ready to shout with delight. "If I'm captain, who'll beat my drum?" "Isaac Lovejoy," was the quick reply. That settled it, and Willy said no more. He was now leader of the company, and Fred Chase was obliged to walk behind him as first lieutenant. But the moment Willy was promoted, and before they began to march, he "took the stump," and made a stirring speech in favor of Jock Winter. "Now see here, boys," said he, leaning on his wooden gun, and looking around him persuasively. "'All men are born free and equal.' I s'pose you know that? It's put down so in the Declaration of Independence!" "O, yes! Ay! Ay!" "Well, Jock Winter was born as free and equal as any of us; he wasn't born a hunchback. But see here: wouldn't you be a hunchback yourself, s'posing your father had let you fall down stairs when you was a baby? I put it to you--now wouldn't you?" "Ay, ay," responded the boys. "Well; and s'pose folks made fun of you just for that; how would you like it?" "Shouldn't like it at all." "But then Jock's just about half witted," put in Fred, faintly. He knew his power was gone, but he wanted to say something. "Well, what if he is half-witted? He thinks more of his country than you do; twice more, and risk it." "That's so," cried Joshua Potter. "Fred says if there's another war, _he_ won't go; he never'll stand up for a mark to be shot at, at eleven dollars a month!" "O, for shame!" exclaimed the captain. "Now you hush up," said Fred, reddening. "I was only in fun--of course I was! You needn't say anything, Will Parlin; a boy that has a _Tory drum_!" "It's a good Whig drum as ever lived!" returned Willy. "But come, now, boys; will we have Jock Winter?" It was a vote; and the Never-Give-Ups went over the river in a body to invite him. He lived in a log-house with his grandfather, and a negro servant known as Joe Whitehead. Old Mr. Winter was aroused from his afternoon nap by the terrific beating of the drum, and thought the British were coming down upon him. "Joe! Joe!" cried he. "Get your scythe, Joe, and mow 'em down as fast as they come!" When the little boys heard of this, it amused them greatly. Mistaken for the British army, indeed! Well, now, that was something worth while! A happier soul than little, simple, round-shouldered Jock you never saw, unless it was his poor old grandfather. He could keep step with the best of them; but unfortunately he had no decent clothes. This was a great drawback, but Mrs. Parlin and Mrs. Lyman took pity on the boy, and made him a nice suit. 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.