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The drummers and fifer having refreshed themselves, the hero must be got carefully into the carriage by his generals and adjutant generals in waiting, when the four lean horses, who were comforted with oats during the delivery of the speeches, will draw him up Broadway to the tune of "The dead I left behind me!"
"The lad is sure to get on; and he's a respectable lad a Fifer from Kirkcaldy handsome and well-spoken of; and I am thinking the Line has a big bargain in him, and is proud of it. Still, I'm feared for my lassie, in such an awful, big, wicked-like town as Glasgow." "She'll not require to take the whole town in. She will have her Bible, and her kirk, and her own man. There is nothing to fear you.
It is reported there are five hundred rebels gathered to oppose me. I shall need reinforcements." Such was the message of Colonel Smith to General Gage. He directed Major Pitcairn to push on rapidly with six companies of light infantry. "Jonathan! Jonathan! Get up quick! The redcoats are coming and something must be done!" The fifer to the Lexington minute-men was sixteen years old.
At the helm sat a boy half a child he seemed: it was Jonas, the little singing-bird, as Wilhelm had once called him. Last Whitsuntide he had been confirmed, and with his Confirmation all his singer-dreams were at an end: but that did not trouble him; on the contrary, it had lain very heavy upon his heart that he was not to be a fifer.
In ten minutes the ninety and odd hammocks were all stowed neatly in the netting, and covered with a snowy hammock-cloth; and the hands were active, unbitting the cable, shipping the capstan bars, &c. "All ready below, sir," cried a voice. "Man the bars," returned Mr. Sharpe from the quarter-deck. "Play up, fifer. Heave away."
"To arms!" came the call in the middle of the afternoon, and the solitary drum the Texans possessed began to roll. Then, as the men formed to march, the single fifer struck up the popular tune of the day, "Will You Come to the Bower?" "Dan, be careful of yourself!" cried Amos Radbury, as he pressed his son's hand. "Be careful for my sake!" And then he rushed off to lead his men forward.
The Skipper broached this terrific announcement in such great agitation, that the small fifer, not fifeing now, but standing looking on near the wheel with his fife under his arm, seemed for the moment quite unboyed, though he speedily recovered his presence of mind. In the trying circumstances that ensued, the Skipper and the crew proved worthy of one another.
And just as the latter was about to say that he could not take so small a boy, the lad spoke out: "Don't be afraid, Captain," said he, "I can drum." This was spoken with so much confidence that the captain smiled and said to the sergeant: "Well, well, bring the drum, and order our fifer to come here."
She was waiting for the black velvet dress. It was more than a dress to her. It was infinitely more than a stage costume. It was the habit of glory. It epitomised all that Josie Fifer had missed of beauty and homage and success. The play ran on, and on, and on. Sarah Haddon was superstitious about the black gown. She refused to give it up for a new one.
She sensed that to this glorious artist would come all those fairy gifts that Josie Fifer would never possess. All things about her her furs, her gloves, her walk, her hats, her voice, her very shoe ties were just what Josie would have wished for. As she lay there she developed a certain grim philosophy. "She's got everything a woman could wish for. Me, I haven't got a thing. Not a blamed thing!
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