He was driven to the railroad station, and reached Pinchbrook at "high twelve," when the Pinchbrookers were just going to their dinners. Captain Barney, as usual, was at the depot, and gave him a seaman's welcome home. He insisted upon being driven to the cottage before dinner; and the old shipmaster, finding that Captain Somers carried too many guns for him, gracefully yielded the point. "Bless my stars, if there ain't Thomas!" cried Mrs. Somers as she jumped up from the dinner-table, and actually upset the teapot in the operation. "How do you do, mother? How do you do, father?" exclaimed the young captain as he shook hands with his father and Gran'ther Green, kissed his mother, and hugged his sister. "How pale you look, Thomas!" said his mother. "I declare, you are as thin as a hatchet! How is your arm?" "Better, mother; I shall be as good as new in a few days." "You look pale; but your face is as nateral as life," said Gran'ther Green. "I don't know what we shall do with two cap'ns in the family." "I think we can manage that, gran'ther," replied Somers, as he took the place at the table which had been prepared for him. * * * * * We drop the curtain upon the scenes which followed; for our patient reader can better imagine than we can describe them. Our hero was once more within the hallowed precincts of home; all its sacred joys flowed in upon his soul; and he thanked the good Father who had conducted him through so many perils, and restored him to the hearts of the loved ones who yearned for him in his absence. They were as grateful for his return as he was--grateful that God had restored him at all; but doubly so that he had come with his soul unstained by the vices of the camp and the wickedness of the great world. The health of Captain Somers did not permit his return to the army to participate in those great battles before Washington in which his regiment was reduced to a mere skeleton of its former self. But, while the country was breathing slowly and fearfully before the terrors of Lee's invasion of Maryland, there came to Pinchbrook a letter from the gallant general of division--now in command of a _corps d'armee_--under whom he had before served, containing an appointment on his staff. Though still but partially restored to health, he hastened to accept his new position, and started at once for the scene of strife. His suffering country needed him; and he could not satisfy his sense of duty, even with the reasonable excuse of a shattered physical frame. He went, and his record was always honorable and noble in success and in misfortune. THE END * * * * * * A. L. BURT'S CATALOGUE OF BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE BY POPULAR WRITERS, 52-58 DUANE STREET, NEW YORK BOOKS FOR BOYS. Joe's Luck: A Boy's Adventures in California. By Horatio Alger, Jr. 12mo, cloth, illustrated, price $1.00.