An army of children encamped by the sea! What a muster of warriors ’tis getting to be! They are coming in clans, with their mothers and maids; They come in battalions, with buckets and spades; They are coming to make a descent on our coast,— They will alter the shape of it, sure!—such a host! Intrenching and digging from morning till night! What foe would dare scale such redoubts in a fight? Could any invader such parapets take As these forts that the sturdy young champions make? See them shoulder their shovels and march to the fray— See them merrily join the long battle array! Here’s a wave! On their works it begins its attacks! Oh! Alas!—Our brave soldiers are turning their backs! Ah, they rally,—they charge! No more flight, nor affright! They recapture the forts, and they’ll fight until night! [Illustration: “HOW DOTH THE LITTLE BUSY BEE IMPROVE EACH SHINING HOUR”? —(_Ask this little girl._)] GEORGE WASHINGTON. [_An Historical Biography._] BY HORACE E. SCUDDER. CHAPTER XX. THE LAST CAMPAIGN. The battle of Monmouth was the last great battle before the final victory at Yorktown. The three and a half years which intervened, however, were busy years for Washington. He was obliged to settle disputes between the French and American officers, to order the disposition of the forces, and to give his attention to all the suggestions of plans for action. He was greatly concerned that Congress should be growing weak and inefficient. Here was a man, whom some had foolishly supposed to be aiming at supreme power, only anxious that the civil government should be strengthened. He saw very clearly that while the separate States were looking after their several affairs, the Congress which represented the whole country was losing its influence and power. “I think our political system,” he wrote, “may be compared to the mechanism of a clock, and that we should derive a lesson from it; for it answers no good purpose to keep the smaller wheels in order, if the greater one, which is the support and prime mover of the whole, is neglected.” [Illustration: WASHINGTON’S CAMP-CHEST AND COOKING UTENSILS. [NOW IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM AT WASHINGTON, D. C.]]