"Obey orders? Whose orders?" asked Bent, with an obvious sneer.
"Mine, of course. I got this thing up; and I am going to see it through, whatever it costs."
"Oh, you are!" snuffed Bent. "But I prefer to know something more about it before I go any farther."
"Not a thing!" exclaimed Tom. "If you don't want to join, you can go back to your room and study your lessons. I have had lessons enough for a while, and I don't believe old Gildrock will see me again very soon. I am a free man!" blustered Tom.
"Do you expect us to follow your lead without knowing where we are going, or what we are to do?" demanded Bent, rather sharply.
"I have said enough to let you know that we are to take a sail, that we are going to a hotel, and that we shall go to the theatre or the circus, if we can find one. I saw some big bills, with colored pictures, on the fences near the wharf in Burlington; and I guess there is a circus somewhere in these parts."
"That's all very well, but we don't know that you can do all you say you can," replied Bent, moved by the bill of fare which their leader held out to them.
"I can do all that, and a great deal more," answered Tom, chuckling, and with an air of confidence which seemed to have its influence upon his companions.
"It takes money to go to a hotel, or to get into a theatre or a circus," continued Bent; and not one of the party had ever been any nearer to an equestrian performance than the outside of the canvas.
"I know that as well as you do," replied Tom, as he put one of his hands into his trousers-pocket, as if to emphasize his remark.