“Then come and use it like a man. Come, Frank. Don’t pretend that you are going to show the white feather.”
“I don’t.”
“It is monstrous!” panted the lad, who was wildly excited by his enthusiasm. “I want you—my friend—to stand by me now at a critical time, and you treat me like this. I can’t understand it when you know that your father is a staunch supporter of the royal cause.”
“Of course I do. What’s that got to do with it? Do you think because he has been sent away that he would forget his oath to the King?”
“I said the royal cause, not the usurper’s.”
“It is false. My father is still in the King’s service, waiting for his recall.”
“Your father is my father’s friend, as I am yours, and he is now holding a high command in King James’s army.”
“It’s not true, Drew; it’s one of your tricks to get me to go with you, and do what I faithfully promised I never would do. You know it’s false. High in command in King James’s army! Why, he has no army, so it can’t be true.”
“I tell you, it is true. My father and yours are both generals.”
“Look here,” said Frank, turning and speaking now in an angry whisper, “you’re going too far, Drew. I don’t want to quarrel—I hate to quarrel. Perhaps I am like a stubborn horse; but I did warn you not to use the whip or spur, and you will keep on doing it. Please let it drop. You’re making me feel hot, and when I feel like that my head goes queer, and I hit out and keep on hitting, and feel sorry for it afterwards. I always did at school, and I should feel ten times as sorry if I hit you. Now you sit down, and hold your tongue before you’re heard and get into a terrible scrape.”