"Why, you are as cold-blooded as a frog! Why don't you write to the damsel, and tell her you are still alive, if you can't think of anything else to say?" "I don't like to curry favor with great folks." "I like that, captain. But you must attend to your duty now. You may have Captain de--what's-his-name--if you like." "Captain de Banyan, sir. He is a brave and noble fellow." "Your friend, eh?" "Yes, sir." "Well, I remember him. He is certainly a brave fellow; for I noticed him at Glendale." "At Oak Grove he captured the enemy's sharpshooters, who were lodged in the old house." "I thought you did that." "No, sir; I was under Captain de Banyan's orders at the time." "I see; and I will remember that, Captain Somers. By the way, it would be well for you to write to Senator Guilford, just to inform him of your promotion. He has done good service for you, though I have no hesitation in saying your promotion would have been certain without his aid." "Thank you, general," replied Somers, who fully understood the meaning of that significant remark. We regret that the good conduct of our hero has destroyed the fitness of the title which we had chosen for our humble volume; but we will venture to say that our sympathizing readers will rejoice with him in his advancement. Captain Somers! The idea seemed to him as big as a mountain, when he withdrew from the presence of the general, who evidently experienced a deep satisfaction in the result of his recommendation to the authorities, and had humorously chosen this method of communicating the welcome news. The earth seemed to be as elastic as India-rubber under the feet of the new-made captain, as he hastened back to the camp of the regiment. He could hardly believe his senses; it was so strange that a young man like him should attain to this high rank. He wanted to "crow;" and perhaps he would have done so, if he had not considered that he must maintain the dignity of his new office. "Captain Somers, I greet you!" exclaimed De Banyan on his return to camp. "Who told you I was a captain?" laughed Somers. "This document," replied he, handing him the ponderous official envelope. "I congratulate you, my boy; though I'm rather disappointed to find you are not a major." "Nonsense, captain! I would have declined a major's commission." "Declined it!" gasped De Banyan. "Well, I don't know but you would. You are the only officer I ever knew to decline a glass of wine, and I don't know but you would decline a major's commission." "I certainly would. Why, I'm only a boy; and I don't know but I ought to decline even a captain's commission. I'm only eighteen years old." "What of that? There's the Fourth Vermont over there--the colonel of that regiment isn't twenty-one yet, and there isn't a better or braver officer in the army. If you decline, I'll cross you off from my list of friends. Why, at Balaclava, when I was----" "Balaclava and blarney!" exclaimed Somers impatiently.