The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 147: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDIS YOUNG CAPTAIN. * ee er Mark, Hugh, and the others are,” he said, as he walked through the various camps, knowing not whither to direct his steps, and feeling like a fish out of water. é : “ How aggravating it is, each of them have been entrusted with the command of a storming party. and here am I walking about uselessly, and afraid to report myself at head quarters,” While thus he mused, he accidently met Major Caspar. He sprang towards Frank, and “grasping his hand said, hurriedly. “Glad to see you, Frank ; but I pee oe general say you were confined to your om. ‘““T might have been so,” was the laughing reply “but whether I offend or please the old general, I’m not going to be put on the sick list at such a time as this, at least while I've got a peg to stand on. What had I better do?” “Why, retire to the rear, Frank, you are.weakened too much with your two recent wounds to stand any further excitement and exertion,” ‘To the rear!” said Frank, “you would not in- sult me.”’ “Insult you, my lad, far from it,” said Caspar, “I did not mean that ; and, to prove how much I respect your valor, I want to beg a favour of you.” ‘What is it?” ‘“Why one of the young officers in the party I have to lead to the assault has just been wounded, and we want some one to lead his men. It is the young Count Volto, and although he is unconscious he still raves and insists upon leading his men.” “Tm your man,” said Frank, laughing, “if I cannot lead on this occasion, why, then, I’ll follow. Trust me, I shan’t be far behind the foremost man who mounts that deadly breach to-night.” While he spoke, some one called out — “Major Caspar, you are wanted this way.” “Follow me, Frank,” said Caspar, as he dived down towards the trenches, By the light of a lantern, two officers could be seen kneeling upon the ground. f Between them, on the grass, lay a third, upon whose features, as the pale light fell, the hand of death seemed rapidly stealing. A slight froth, tinged with blood, rested on his lips, and the florid gore which stained his uniform, showed that his wound was through the lungs, “Tle has fainted,” said one of the officers, in a low tone. “ Are you certain it is fainting?” the other replied. “You see how it is with the poor youth,”’ Caspar whispered, ‘‘it is all up with him.” While he thus spoke, four soldiers of his regiment placed the wounded young officer in a blanket, and carried him out of the trenches. A long sigh escaped him, and he muttered a few broken words. ‘Poor fellow! it’s his mother he is murmuring of,” said Caspar, withasigh. ‘I hear he only joined his regiment a month since, and is, as you are, a mere boy. But come, Frank, we must_Jose no time. By Jove, that’s just what I expected! Did you see that rocket?” Yessy “That’s the signal for our assaulting column to form, In ten minutes more the stormers must fall in. What's the matter, there?” he asked of an officer, who had stopped the four soidiers with the wounded youth. ‘‘T have been cutting the white band off his left arm, Major Caspar ; for if poor Volto verceived it when he awoke to consciousness again, he would go mad to think he had not been one of the stormers ; for the white band on the left arm is the sign by which the assaulters are to know each other. “Just so—quite right—thoughtfully done,” said Caspar, who was now every inch a soldier, and seemed to revel in that wild and daring life. ‘He was in the forlorn hope, Frank, as I said—” “But you won’t refuse me.to take command of his men ?”’ “Refuse you, Frank!” said Caspar, grasping Frank’s hand with both his own, “never, my lad; there’s not another in the army I respect more than I do you; and if Garibaldi wasn’t under the idea that you were confined to bed, and far away from here, ’'d give up my command and follow you my- self ; but you must chamge your dress, Frank—that red shirt is too much of a mark for the Austrians, you would be shot down ina minute, You see, all of us here, in the Ist Regiment of Volunteers, wear blue—so roust you. ‘‘T can give your friend a cap, major. “ Here is a spare jacket for him,” said another. “And I,” said a third, will give him a well-filled brandy-flask, which is by no means a thing to bs despised when bound on such an errand as thie present one.” While Frank was making these necessary changes in his attire, so as not to prove too conspicuous an object to the Austrians, Caspar whispered to him,— “[ hope your sword and revolvers are in good order, for we shall have to fight like devils to-night. The town which this gloomy fortress defends have proved no friends to the cause of Italian indepen- dence ; and I fear, that once our men get into it, there will be no stopping them : they will burn the place and pillage on every hand, But no matter ; it is all death or glory with us.” While they thus spoke, Frank gave the care of his horse to Fatty, who wasn’t positively aware what was about to take place, and Mr. Tony went to the rear grumbling very much ; but swore he’d have a hand in the fight, cost what it might. ‘This way, Frank !—this way, my boy; they are telling off the stormers of my party—quick |” said Caspar. * Who commands the storming-party?” askeda rough voice, near by, **T do,” said Caspar. «And who is second in charge?”’ ‘Captain Count Volto,’ said Caspar, shoving Frank forward into his place. “Very well, sir; keep your men together; be sparing of powder, and give the enemy plenty of cold steel.” So speaking, he shook Frank by the hand in the darkness, and moved away. “Who was that, major?’ Frank asked. “ Garibaldi’s son; a brave officer, as you will soon find out.” * x x * * Everything was now prepared for the assault. The stillness of death reigned on all sides, A deep-toned bell from the village, behind the fortress, tolled out the hour of midnight Its echoes had not died away when through the darkness crept thousands of men towards the fortress, and advanced like shadows to the foot of the breach. “ Quietly, men; quietly,” said Frank. crush—let not a word be spoken !” He had scarcely uttered the words when a musket, belonging to one of the volunteers, went off accidentally. The whizzing bullet could not have struck the walls of the fortress, when suddenly a bright fame ‘Don’t