A LITTLE DUSKY HERO

BY HARRIET T. COMSTOCK

_AUTHOR OF "CEDRIC THE SAXON," "TOWER OR THRONE," ETC._

NEW YORK THOMAS Y. CROWELL & Co. PUBLISHERS

Copyright, 1902, By Thomas Y. Crowell & Company.

THIS LITTLE BOOK IS LOVINGLY DEDICATED TO Philip and Albert BY THEIR MOTHER

[Illustration: COLONEL AUSTIN STAGGERED TO HIS FEET, LEANING UPON THE LITTLE SHOULDER.]

CONTENTS

I. George Washington McKinley Jones

II. The Box from up North

III. The Little Gauntlet and Sword

IV. Waiting in the Turret Chamber

V. The Boy up North

VI. "War, G. W.!"

VII. The Battle on the Hill-Top

VIII. The Colonel's Body-Guard

IX. "I'se Got de Colonel!"

X. In the Tent Hospital

XI. "It's all yours, G. W.!"

XII. A History-Evening at Oakwood

A LITTLE DUSKY HERO.

I.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MCKINLEY JONES.

Scratch! scratch! scratch! went Colonel Austin's pen over the smooth white sheets of paper, sheet after sheet.

The dead heat of Tampa hung heavy within the tent; the buzz of the flies was most distressing; but the reports must be got off, and after them there were letters to be written to "the Boy and his Mother" up North, telling them--especially the Boy--what a glorious thing it is to serve one's country under _any_ circumstances. The present circumstances were extremely trying, to be sure, but the firm brown hand glided back and forth over the long pages in a determined manner that showed how Colonel Austin believed in doing his duty.

Scratch! scratch! scratch!

Buzz! buzz! buzz!

"Good-mornin', sah!"

It was a soft little voice, and it droned away into the buzz of the flies and the scratching of the pen so that the writer at the rough table took no heed.

"Good mornin', sah!"

This time Colonel Austin turned. He was a firm believer in discipline, and the unannounced arrival annoyed him. He swung around and gazed sternly about six feet from the ground. There was nothing there! His eyes dropped and finally rested upon the very smallest, dirtiest, raggedest black boy he had ever seen. But the beautiful great eyes of the forlorn mite looked trustingly up at the surprised officer, and Colonel Austin noticed that the grimy cheeks were tear-stained though the childish lips were smiling bravely.

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: A Little Dusky Hero by Harriet T. Comstock
• 2: George Washington McKinley Jones
• 3: Colonel Austin read the address
• 4: Colonel Austin took the garments out
• 5: Are jes' goin' to help make me a hero for sho
• 6: One night when he went into the tent after G
• 7: Colonel Austin seemed to understand
• 8: Beneath the glorious sunsets of Tampa
• 9: Heroes grin and conquer things
• 10: Colonel Austin saw trouble ahead unless he got G
• 11: Austin laughed and wiped away her tears
• 12: I was a year littler than I am now
• 13: No matter what the danger that threatened Daddy
• 14: I'se goin' git de bes' ob dat der hill
• 15: Miles ob dem an' millions of men
• 16: An' be keerful to take keer ob yo'self
• 17: I has feelin's like my mammy used ter have
• 18: I can't think what dat means
• 19: Cose dis is fur my Colonel Austin
• 20: Colonel Austin staggered to his feet
• 21: Dere ain't but a step or two furder
• 22: Things happened for dear little G
• 23: Yo nebber would say dere were legs 'tached to my body
• 24: Did yo' hear dem words dem hero words
• 25: Weak cheers followed him from rows of cots
• 26: Did you see dat hoss by de do'
• 27: Because you'll have to tussle and try through life
• 28: But Colonel Austin's son always noticed it
• 29: Professor Catherwood raised his hand