you go after them? Don't mind me; I'm a little cold; but running will warm me.' But he grew colder and colder, and never spoke again."

The children's faces were flushed and grave. Roger looked hard into the fire with eyes that opened and shut quickly, as if something were in them.. After a moment's silence he turned suddenly, and said, Get a string, Maedy, and let's have a cat's-cradle. We don't want to hear any more of the war to-night, I guess."

"But, father, you were going to tell us about Roanoke," said Franklin.

"Ah," said Mr. Warren, "that was a famous victory. But, bless me, children, it's after eight o'clock, almost your bedtime. We must leave Roanoke and General Burnside till another day. Nelly," he said, turning to Aunt Ellen, "can't you find us some apples?"

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"I can," said Roger, jumping up, and he disappeared at the cellar stairs, with Frank behind carrying the lamp.

The apples were brought, and a dish of

shagbarks with them; and soon the little circle around the Franklin stove was as blithe and gay as if no war were raging in the land with its ghastly battlefields and mournful, but heroic tales.

CHAPTER III.

⚫ROANOKE, FEB. 8TII,"-" NEWBERN, MARCH 14TH."

It happened that next day Mr. Warren was called from home on business, and the children failed to hear their promised story. One afternoon when school was out,' and the lessons put by, Maedy and the boys complained to Aunt Ellen that there was "nothing to do." Without, the March winds were blustering, and the clouds hung cold and gray; it was not the weather

for out-door-sport.

"I could give you plenty of work," said Aunt Ellen, who was busy knitting a soldier's mitten, "only I don't believe you'd want to do it."

"Well, what is it?" asked Roger.

"Oh, you and Frank could run up to the barn and cut some feed, or into the shed and split pine wood for kindling. The

side of the wheelbarrow needs a new stave, you know, and there's Maedy's hemming that she began last week not yet done."

“Well, I'll finish that," said Maedy, drawing up her little chair, "if you want me to. And while I am sewing, you tell me a story, will you, aunty, please ?”

"Oh yes, aunt Ellen," chimed in the boys. "One that'll suit Maedy and us too," added Roger. "If you will, we'll sec to the wood and other things afterward; won't we, Frank ?"

"Ah!" said Aunt Ellen pleasantly, "I thought you wanted something to do so much; and now I must bargain with you to have it done."

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Well, it's no trouble for you to tell stories," replied Roger, "but splitting wood is awfully hard work. It always gives me the rheumatis," he added with a comical grimace.

"Aunt Ellen, don't you know about the taking of Roanoke?" asked Frank. "Father was going to tell us of that victory, but

'twas too late the other night. When did it happen?"

"On the seventh of February. Roanoke is an island off the coast of North Carolina, and was considered by the rebels to be the military key, not only to the State but to all that part of the South. An expedition was sent out there by our Government, commanded by General Burnside, and with him were three other Generals, Foster, Reno, and Parke, with an army of fifteen thousand men. They set sail in a fleet of a hundred and twenty-five vessels, some of them gunboats, and others transports. Think what a grand procession they must have made sailing out of Hampton Roads!"

"But if a storm came up they might knock into each other, in such a crowd of them," said Roger.

"A storm did overtake them; but once out to sea, the vessels of a fleet scatter, so as to have plenty of room," said Aunt Ellen. "One of the steamers, the City of New York, was wrecked, and the storm was so furious that none of the others could go to