Page:Pratt portraits - sketched in a New England suburb (IA prattportraitssk00full).pdf/131

 "I don't know what you mean by a long pole," said William, gruffly; "I asked the Lord to bless the North and the South and to keep them from laying hands on each other."

"Not much use in that," Ben declared. "There's bound to be a war."

"Think so? I'm afraid you're right."

For a time they puffed on in silence. Then William asked:

"What shall you do about it if there is one?"

"Do about it?"

"Yes, do about it. Shall you fight?"

"I? Fight? Good gracious no! I'm no fighting man. I couldn't stick a bayonet intoa sheep to save my soul."

"There's a good deal that's disagreeable about war," William answered dryly. "I, for one, would rather let the South go about their business."

"We can't do that," said Ben, with conviction. "We've got the right on our side, and we're bound to maintain it."

"It all seems perfectly clear to you, apparently."

"Yes. I can't see that the thing's got two sides. But," brightening, "do you know, Bill, it's very lucky that you don't look at it as the rest of us do, for if you did, it would be just like you to go to the war yourself. You'd be the very fellow to go down there and get shot."

"It will certainly be just like a good many poor fellows to doit. Fellows," William added