Page:War; or, What happens when one loves one's enemy, John Luther Long, 1913.djvu/184

WAR here for our protection. If you will look closely you will see that they are in the uniform of the United States."

Well, that was so. And they seemed a little less fighty at Jon's great politeness. So I let him do the talking.

"We are going to town to enlist in the Union army," Jon goes on, with the oil all ready for the water, "and my brother Dave is at home. That accounts for all of us."

Well, that flabbergasts 'em still more.

"I should say that one of us is going to enlist," Goliath amends.

"Which one?" asks the first soldier.

"I," answers Jon. "There's a meeting in Excelsior to-night to organize a Union company."

Well, Jon's answers got 'em so that they didn't know what to do. They whispered together a little, then one of 'em says:

"On your word of honor, is that your errand?" 168