"But the King," said William, pointing to the small bronze statue of George III. on horseback, that was in the little circle on the near-by Bowling Green.
"Confound the King!" said Carter. "He's the blindest of them all."
This expression must be pardoned on account of Carter's youth. Probably even his hot-headed father would not have used it in such a public place at least.
The twins gasped and stepped back slowly from him. "You are a rebel, then!" they both said, and, turning, they walked away, without looking over their shoulders.
Carter remained standing where he was. He saw he had offended the loyal young Frothinghams beyond manner of expression, and he wished that he could take back his words, now that it was too late.
But the twins walked silently along; they felt each other's minds so well that speech was not needed. However, when they had gone some distance up Broadway they stopped for a moment before a house where some troops were quartered, for a drum rested on the doorstep.
A tall soldier stepped outside of the house. He was putting pipeclay on his white cross-belts, and smoking some villanous tobacco, which caused him to hold his head to one side to keep the smoke from getting in his eyes. He was humming a bit of song as he worked, and suddenly glancing down, his eye caught the boys watching him.
"Git out, ye little Yankee rebels!" he said, and launched a kick in their direction—"git out of this."
"We are not 'Yankee rebels,'" said the younger, drawing himself up proudly.
"We are loyal subjects of his Majesty King George," said William, "and you have no right to talk to any one like that, no matter who they are!"