Page:Anna Chapin--Half a dozen boys.djvu/20

14 “I don’t know. What was it?”

“‘Oh, may Thy soldiers,” quoted Bess, and Rob took up the line, half under his breath. When he had finished it,—

“Well, what about it?” he asked.

“I was thinking to-night, as you came out singing it, that I wondered what fighting you boys would have to do. Fred has come to his, but the ‘victor’s crown of gold’ will be very hard for him to win, I am afraid.”

“Why, cousin Bess?”

“Rob, my boy, suppose all at once you had to just drop right out of all your boy fun and games, couldn’t read or study, or even go to walk alone; do you think it would be real easy to always be bright and cheerful, never complain or be cross? It is just by bearing this trouble like a man and a hero that the ‘victor’s crown’ will come to Fred. It will not be a very happy life to live. But we will hope Phil made some mistake. Almost anything would be better than for him to be blind all his life; and I can’t see what should bring it on. Did Phil say how he is now?”