Captain Sam

Captain Sam

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Title: Captain Sam The Boy Scouts of 1814
Author: George Cary Eggleston

Release Date: June 19, 2006 [eBook #18622]
Language: English
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The Big Brother Series.
CAPTAIN SAM

Or
The Boy Scouts of 1814
by
GEORGE CARY EGGLESTON
Author of "The Big Brother," etc., etc.

New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 182 Fifth Avenue. 1876. Copyright. G. P. Putnam's
Sons. 1876.

TO MY BOY-FRIEND
MONTAGUE DOUGLAS,
IN RECOGNITION OF HIS MANLY CHARACTER, AND IN MEMORY
OF THE FOOT-JOURNEYS WE MADE TOGETHER A YEAR AGO,
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK.

CAPTAIN SAM.
CHAPTER I.
A MUTINY.
"If you open your mouth again, I'll drive my fist down your throat!"
The young man, or boy rather,--for he was not yet eighteen years old,--who made this
very emphatic remark, was a stalwart, well-built youth, lithe of limb, elastic in movement,
slender, straight, tall, with a rather thin face, upon which there was as yet no trace of
coming beard, high cheek bones, and eyes that seemed almost to emit sparks of fire as
their lids snapped rapidly together. He spoke in a low tone, without a sign of anger in his
voice, but with a look of earnestness which must have convinced the person to whom he
addressed his not very suave remark, that he really meant to do precisely what he
threatened.
As he spoke he laid his left hand upon the other's shoulder, and placed his face as near to
his companion's as was possible without bringing their noses into actual contact; but he
neither clenched nor shook his fist. Persons who mention weapons which they really have
made up their minds to use, do not display them in a threatening manner. That is the

device of bullies who think to frighten their adversaries by the threatening exhibition as
they do by their threatening words. Sam Hardwicke was not a bully, and he did not wish
to frighten anybody. He merely wished to make the boy hold his tongue, and he meant to
do that in any case, using whatever measure of violence he might find necessary to that
end. He mentioned his fist merely because he meant to use that weapon if it should be
necessary.
His companion saw his determination, and remained silent.
"Now," resumed Sam, "I wish to say something to all of you, and I will say it to you as an
officer should talk to soldiers on a subject of this sort. Fall into line! Right dress! steady,
front!"
The boys were drawn up in line, and their commander stood at six paces from them.
"Attention!" he cried, "I wish you to know and remember that we are engaged in no
child's play. We are soldiers. You have not yet been mustered into service, it is true, but
you are soldiers, nevertheless, and you shall obey as such. Listen. When it became known
in the neighborhood that I had determined to join General Jackson and serve as a soldier
you boys proposed to go with me. I agreed, with a condition, and that condition was that
we should organize ourselves into a company, elect a captain, and march to Camp
Jackson under his command, not go there like a parcel of school-boys or a flock of sheep
and be sent home again for our pains. You liked the notion, and we made a fair bargain. I
was ready to serve under anybody you might choose for captain. I didn't ask you to elect
me, but you did it. You voted for me, ever one of you, and made me Captain. From that
moment I have been responsible for everything.
"I lead you and provide necessary food. I plan everything and am responsible for
everything. If you misbehave as you go through the country I shall be held to blame and I
shall be to blame. But not a man of you shall misbehave. I am your commander, you
made me that,