Page:War; or, What happens when one loves one's enemy, John Luther Long, 1913.djvu/181

GREATER THAN PATRIOTISM three men left in it. No wonder they suspect us. I don't see how we've escaped the draft."

"Not on your life!" says I, very savage. "I want my boys in one piece and all together in the same place—in case of fire in the chimley. You know I couldn't put it out myself, beause it's hard enough, sometimes, for all of us. And just think of Betsy as a fireman!"

"And," says Jon, never noticing how funny that was, "the right one has got to go."

"Who do you think is the right one?" asks I.

"I am," nods Jon.

Well, when Jon decided to do a thing, there was no use trying to stop him. The best was to go along and persuade him.

He got up and put on his coat.

"Well," I says, to humor him, "suppose we go and see what fools they make of themselves, enlisting to get shot. That's one way to not get a Union company up. Why don't they come around with a secret subscription paper! Nobody's going to enlist in a Union company right out in public." 165