Chapter VI. Mr. Frost Makes Up His Mind

by Horatio Alger

　　"Well, Frank," said his father at supper-time, "I've beenspeaking to Mr. Maynard this afternoon about your plan.""What did he say?" asked Frank, dropping his knife and fork inhis eagerness."After he had thought a little, he spoke of it favorably. He saidthat, being too old to go himself, he should be glad to doanything in his power to facilitate my going, if I thought it myduty to do so.""Didn't he think Frank rather young for such an undertaking?"asked Mrs. Frost doubtfully."Yes, he did; but still he thought with proper advice andcompetent assistance he might get along. For the first, he candepend upon Mr. Maynard and myself; as for the second, Mr.Maynard suggested a good man, who is seeking a situation as farmlaborer.""Is it anybody in this town?" asked Frank."No, it is a man from Brandon, named Jacob Carter. Mr. Maynardsays he is honest, industrious, and used to working on a farm. Ishall write to him this evening.""Then you have decided to go!" exclaimed Frank and his mother inconcert."It will depend in part upon the answer I receive from this manCarter. I shall feel if he agrees to come, that I can go withless anxiety.""How we shall miss you!" said his wife, in a subdued tone."And I shall miss you quite as much. It will be a considerablesacrifice for all of us. But when my country has need of me, youwill feel that I cannot honorably stay at home. As for Frank, hemay regard me as his substitute.""My substitute!" repeated Frank, in a questioning tone."Yes, since but for you, taking charge of the farm in my absence,I should not feel that I could go."Frank looked pleased. It made him feel that he was really of someimportance. Boys, unless they are incorrigibly idle, are glad tobe placed in posts of responsibility. Frank, though very modest,felt within himself unused powers and undeveloped capacities,which he knew must be called out by the unusual circumstances inwhich he would be placed. The thought, too, that he would beserving his country, even at home, filled him with satisfaction.After a pause, Mr. Frost said: "There is one point on which Istill have some doubts. As you are all equally interested withmyself, I think it proper to ask your opinion, and shall abide byyour decision."Frank and his mother listened with earnest attention."You are aware that the town has decided to give a bounty of onehundred and fifty dollars to such as may volunteer toward fillingthe quota. You may remember, also, that although the town passedthe vote almost unanimously, it was my proposition, and supportedby a speech of mine.""Squire Haynes opposed it, I think you said, father.""Yes, and intimated that I urged the matter from interestedmotives. He said he presumed I intended to enlist.""As if that sum would pay a man for leaving his home andincurring the terrible risks of war!" exclaimed Mrs. Frost,looking indignant."Very likely he did not believe it himself; but he was irritatedwith me, and it is his habit to impute unworthy motives to thosewith whom he differs. Aside from this, however, I shall feel somedelicacy in availing myself of a bounty which I was instrumentalin persuading the town to vote. Though I feel that I should beperfectly justified in so doing, I confess that I am anxious notto put myself in such a position as to hazard any loss of goodopinion on the part of my friends in town.""Then don't take it," said Mrs. Frost promptly."That's what I say, too, father," chimed in Frank."Don't decide too hastily," said Mr. Frost. "Remember that in ourcircumstances this amount of money would be very useful. AlthoughFrank will do as well as any boy of his age, I do not expect himto make the farm as profitable as I should do, partly on accountof my experience being greater, and partly because I should beable to accomplish more work than he. One hundred and fiftydollars would procure many little comforts which otherwise youmay have to do without.""I know that," said Mrs. Frost quickly. "But do you think Ishould enjoy them, if there were reports circulated, howeverunjustly, to your prejudice? Besides, I shall know that thecomforts at the camp must be fewer than you would enjoy at home.We shall not wish to fare so much better than you.""Do you think with your mother, Frank?" asked Mr. Frost."I think mother is right," said Frank, proud of having hisopinion asked. He was secretly determined, in spite of what hisfather had said, to see if he could not make the farm asprofitable as it would be under his father's management.Mr. Frost seemed relieved by his wife's expression of opinion."Then," said he, "I will accept your decision as final. I feltthat it should be you, and not myself, who should decide it. Nowmy mind will be at ease, so far as that goes.""You will not enlist at once, father?" asked Frank."Not for three or four weeks. I shall wish to give you somespecial instructions before I go, so that your task may beeasier.""Hadn't I better leave school at once?""You may finish this week out. However, I may as well begin myinstructions without delay. I believe you have never learned tomilk.""No, sir.""Probably Carter will undertake that. Still, it will be desirablethat you should know how, in case he gets sick. You may come outwith me after supper and take your first lesson."Frank ran for his hat with alacrity. This seemed like beginningin earnest. He accompanied his father to the barn, and lookedwith new interest at the four cows constituting his father'sstock."I think we will begin with this one," said his father, pointingto a red-and-white heifer. "She is better-natured than theothers, and, as I dare say your fingers will bungle a little atfirst, that is a point to be considered."If any of my boy readers has ever undertaken the task of milkingfor the first time, he will appreciate Frank's difficulties. Whenhe had seen his father milking, it seemed to him extremely easy.The milk poured out in rich streams, almost without an effort.But under his inexperienced fingers none came. He tugged awaymanfully, but with no result."I guess the cow's dry," said he at last, looking up in hisfather's face.Mr. Frost in reply drew out a copious stream."I did the same as you," said Frank, mystified, "and none came.""You didn't take hold right," said his father, "and you pressedat the wrong time. Let me show you."Before the first lesson was over Frank had advanced a little inthe art of milking, and it may as well be said here that in thecourse of a week or so he became a fair proficient, so that hisfather even allowed him to try Vixen, a cow who had received thisname from the uncertainty of her temper. She had more than onceupset the pail with a spiteful kick when it was nearly full. Onemorning she upset not only the pail, but Frank, who lookedfoolish enough as he got up covered with milk.Frank also commenced reading the Plowman, a weekly agriculturalpaper which his father had taken for years. Until now he hadconfined his readings in it to the selected story on the fourthpage. Now, with an object in view, he read carefully other partsof the paper. He did this not merely in the first flush ofenthusiasm, but with the steady purpose of qualifying himself totake his father's place."Frank is an uncommon boy," said Mr. Frost to his wife, notwithout feelings of pride, one night, when our hero had retiredto bed. "I would trust him with the farm sooner than many who arehalf a dozen years older."