At the first opportunity, therefore, he wrote his name upon the paper, very much to the astonishment of Captain Benson and his employer.
"How old are you, Tom ?" asked the captain.
"I'm in my seventeenth year," replied the soldier boy.
"You are not old enough." "I'm three months older than Sam Thompson; and you didn't even ask him how old he was." "He is larger and heavier than you are!" "I can't help that.

I'm older than he is, and I think I can do as much in the way of fighting as he can." "I don't doubt that," added the captain, laughing.

"Your affair with Squire Pemberton shows that you have pluck enough for anything.

I should be very glad to have you go; but what does your father say ?" "He hasn't said anything.

He isn't at home.