A Dangerous Promise Read Free Page A

back. Finally, he mumbled, "I've been thinking ..."
    Mike's throat tightened as he waited for Todd to go on.
    "Ma would be terrible angry if I joined up," Todd said. "There isn't anything about army life Ma likes. She wants me to have a different sort of life. She reminded me again this morning that she's got plans for me to go to college someday, like some of her cousins who live in Boston, so I can become a banker or a businessman. She's already teaching me and my sisters Latin verbs and making us read poetry every evening before we go to bed, and—"
    A hard limip began to grow in Mike's chest. "You're backing out," he said. "I didn't take you for a quitter."

    "I'm not a quitter," Todd insisted. "I was just telling you how Ma would feel if I ran off to join the army."
    Through his disappointment Mike shrugged and mumbled, "Then I'll go by myself."
    "You're not old enough."
    "Neither are you. But age doesn't matter. The Union Army needs musicians to send orders to the troops in battle. We know the drum calls, and you know the bugle. We could help the Union win the war. You know we could."
    "Yeah, I guess," Todd said. He glanced at Mike. "How's your mother going to take it?"
    "I don't see why Louisa would get mad," Mike answered. "I heard her tell the captain how proud she was of him, before he rode off with his company. But, well, my own ma's different. She won't hke my joining the army—I can tell you that right now—and she'll start worrying about me the minute she gets the letter I'm going to write her."
    Todd turned to stare at Mike and grinned. "You've got two women to worry about whether or not you're getting enough food to eat, or your socks are wet, or there's a Reb on your tail! That's twice as bad as one."
    Mike made a face and pretended to groan. "It adds up to more than two," he bragged. "My sisters Frances and Megan will have something to say to me when they find out what I've done, and for all I know, my little sister Peg is old enough to speak her mind on the subject."
    Todd chuckled, but Mike grew serious. "Danny now— he's but a year younger than me—Danny would understand. And Petey—he's too little to even think about war."
    Once again, Mike was swallowed by a rush of homesickness for his family. He squeezed his eyes shut, seeing their smiling faces, and fought against the pain.
    "They're all going to be proud of you," Todd said.
    Mike opened his eyes and nodded. He could visualize himself standing tall in the uniform of a Union private, the round-crowned dark blue forage cap cocked so that its

    black glazed-leather peak sloped down sharply over his eyes. Maybe there'd be a medal on his chest—maybe two or three.
    "They're bound to be," he said with a grin. "I'll be the only soldier in the Kelly family."
    After a few moments, Todd said, "I guess you're right, Mike. We're bound in duty to help out."
    Mike sucked in his breath. "Does that mean you're in?"
    "I'm in," Todd said. "When do we go?"
    Mike shrugged. "I'm ready to leave now."
    Todd shook his head. "No. It would be too easy to send somebody looking for us in the daylight hours. We'll have to leave after dark, probably after they think we're in bed and asleep."
    "And have the sentries challenge us?" Mike shook his head. "I've got a better idea. We can leave with the sutlers in late afternoon. Their wagons will be near to empty, and one of them might give us a ride."
    Todd pursed his lips as he thought. "A ride would save on shoe leather. It's a good thirty miles or more to Kansas City."
    "That's right," Mike said. "And we'll have the drum and your bugle to carry, along with the rest of the things we'll have to take."
    Todd looked surprised. "What else do we have to take?"
    "Well, a change of clothing, I guess," Mike said, "and a blanket."
    "The army issues blankets. Haven't you seen what they've handed out to the new recruits?"
    "I guess I haven't paid much attention."
    "Well, I have," Todd said. "We'll get a uniform, drawers and socks, shoes,