Four boys were standing at the corner of the street. Bound the next turn, with a great burst of splendid music, came the regiment on its way to the troop-ship. Along the street were lines of eager faces, some sad and anxious, to be sure, but all interested and full of excitement.

"It must be glorious to fight for your country," said George, feeling his heart beat faster and faster as the regiment drew near. "I'm going to be a soldier when I grow up."

"I'm not!" said Dick, with a laugh. "It's too hard work, and I don't care about being shot. I like plenty to eat, and a good bed to sleep in. Soldiers' fare would never suit me!"

"I'm on your side, George," said the tallest boy of the group, as he watched the men marching by. "A man can make a name for himself when there's fighting going on. If we are only lucky enough to have another war, I'm not going to spend my life at a high desk, or digging potatoes on a farm. A soldier's life is the life for me."

"I don't feel just that way about it, Ned," said George doubtfully. "I hope I'm not thinking about my own glory. I should be glad to go as a common soldier, if I could feel that I was doing all that I could for my country."

The fourth, boy was silent. With his hands in his. pockets, he had his eyes fixed on the lines of glistening bayonets.

"What do you think, Jack?" said Ned. "You look as wise as an owl."

Jack turned slowly on his heel. He settled his firm chin a little deeper in his coat collar.

"I don't agree with any of you, wholly," he said. "George has the best of it so far, but I think fighting is a poor way of deciding whether a thing is right or wrong."

"You'd make a noble hero," said Ned, with a good-natured laugh.

"I'd rather make my life count for something in doing work that is worth doing, than in fighting with men who never did me any harm," said Jack calmly.

"A man can't do more than give his life for his country," persisted
George.

"That's true," said Jack quickly. "Only you were talking about giving your death, which isn't half so valuable."

George looked blank for a moment. The others laughed at his puzzled face, but he recovered himself promptly.

"I don't see why fighting isn't a good way to settle disputes," he said.

"So everybody used to think," said Jack. "If a man quarreled with his neighbor, it was the proper thing to have a duel. We don't have duels nowadays, and I think we are better off. Don't you remember, George, that day when we fought over the bag of marbles we found in an old cellar? It was years ago, when we were little fellows. Father found us fighting and sent us home. The next day he divided the marbles between us. I'm sure that was a better way than if I'd held you down a minute longer and got them all."

George had still a lively recollection of that fight.

"You were bigger than I was," he began.

"I know it," said Jack, "and because I was bigger, I should have got the marbles if father hadn't stopped me. But that wouldn't have made me the rightful owner of them. You had as much right to them as I had. Father talked to me, and made me see how silly our fighting was."

"Do you truly think that a man who stays at home can be as good a patriot as a soldier who goes to fight for his country?" asked George, feeling a little ashamed of his friend.

"I think that a man can do more for his country in time of peace than in war," said Jack. "And as for courage, I know it is harder to do some of the little, common, everyday things well than to do great deeds. Father says that the mothers are the real heroes in the world. I dare say it took more courage for some men to stay at home than for any of those in the regiment to go."

"But you never hear about the bravery of those men," objected George. "Of course, once in a while, there is a fire or a railroad accident, and somebody is very brave and heroic, but that is the exception."

"I don't call daring the only kind of bravery," said Jack. "Just think of those nurses and priests who go out to the leper islands to care for the sick. They know that they are going to something worse than death, yet they give up everything to make life easier for a few unknown people."

"I wasn't speaking of them," said George. "I mean those who stay at home, and don't do anything very remarkable."

"I've noticed one thing," said Jack. "The heroes are usually those who have done their work well every day. Father says that what the country needs is the quiet faithfulness of every citizen."

"Do you think," said Ned, with a superior smile, "that wars are going to stop because you disapprove of them?"

"I think that war is cruel," said Jack stoutly, "and I don't believe there is any need of our being cruel. I know that some of our wisest men think that the time is coming when nations will be ashamed to settle questions in that way."

"How do you propose to show your wonderful patriotism. if you won't fight?" demanded Ned.

Jack flushed a little, but he answered steadily:

"I propose to make of myself as good a citizen as I can. I propose to keep my temper, and to remember that others beside myself have rights. I propose to be honest and fair. If I do all my work as well as I can, I hope that some day my life will be of service to my country."

Ned and Dick walked off with a disagreeable laugh, but George slipped his arm through his friend's. "If I didn't know better, I should say that you were a coward, Jack," he said. "I wish you had more of the hero in you."

"Even a hero doesn't like to be laughed at," said Jack. "I know one thing, George: it takes more courage to be called a coward, and to stand up for what you think is right when others are laughing at you, than it does to fight."

"I believe you are right," said George; "I can see that a man may be as much of a hero and patriot in one place as another, if he is only true to himself."

He serves his country best
Who lives pure life, and doeth righteous deed,
And walks straight paths, however others stray;
And leaves his sons, as uttermost bequest,
A stainless record which all men may read.
SUSAN COOLIDGE.