As soon as he had made his exit, the boys clustered around Tom, as he sat turning his back on as many of the company as possible, and all began in a breath, "Now, Tom, do tell us what you're mad at; what have we done? please speak!"
"Well, then," shouted Tom, springing up, "I'll tell you what, Frederic Jourdain! I won't be ordered around by any old monkey like that,"—pointing toward Jerry—"and as for you and your ordering about, I won't stand that either! fine as you think yourself; the Colonel, indeed!"
"Why, Tom, how can you talk so? can't you play like the rest of us? I'm sure I haven't taken advantage of being Colonel to be domineering; have I, boys?"
"No, no! not a bit, Fred—never mind what he says!"
"Oh do—don't appeal to them! You do that because you daren't say outright you mean to have everything your own way. That may be very well for them—you're all a parcel of Yankee shopkeepers together—but, I can tell you, no Southern gentleman will stand it!"
"North or South, Tom," began Will Costar, pretty sharply, "every regiment must have a head—and obey the head. We've chosen Fred our Colonel, and you must mind him. When he tells you to drill you've got to do it!"
Tom wheeled round perfectly furious. "You say that again," he shouted, "and I'll leave the regiment! I will. I won't be told by any Northerner that I'm his subordinate, and if my State hadn't thought so too, she'd never have left the Union."
"What! you dare to say anything against the Union!" cried George, turning white with rage; "do you mean to say that you admire the South for seceding?"
"Yes! I've a great mind to secede myself, what's more!"
Freddy, as I said, was as sweet-tempered a little fellow as ever lived; but he was fairly aroused now. His blue eyes flashed fire; he crimsoned to the temples; his fists were clenched—and shouting, "you traitor!" like a flash, he sent Tom flying over on his back, with the camp stool about his ears.