it down long ago."

Rodney winced. He did not like to confess that he and his friends had
tried their best to haul the flag down, but the Union boys had prevented
them from doing it; for he knew the girls would laugh at him. They might
do even worse than that. They might tell him that he need not trouble
himself to call upon them any more (for things had come to that pass
already), so he brought forward the best excuse he could think of on the
spur of the moment.

"But the colonel will not allow it," he protested. "He says it will be
time enough to bother with the flag when we find out what the State is
going to do."

"But I don't see how you can march under those colors when your own
gallant Louisiana has followed South Carolina out of the Union."

"I confess we don't like it," said Cole, "but a good soldier always
obeys orders, you know. Wait until the State acts, and then you shall
hear from us."

"I hope to hear from you before that time, although this State is bound
to go with the others. I should be ashamed to acknowledge that I live
within her borders if she shows such a want of spirit as to be willing
to remain in the Union after all that has happened. The next time you
come to see me, Mr. Cole," said the young lady sweetly, "I shall expect
you to tell me that that flag has been hauled down in spite of all
opposition, and that our own Confederate flag has been hoisted in its
place."

"So that's our flag, is it?" said Rodney, casting a glance of pride
toward the Stars and Bars that waved from several buildings within the
range of his vision. "I thought as much. When did it get here?"

"We received a score or more of them by this day's mail, and our
patriotic citizens lost no time in giving them to the breeze," was the
reply.

"But the trouble is, we haven't any flag of that sort at the academy,"
said Cole. "So how are we to run it up in place of the Stars and
Stripes?"

"My sister and I will see that you have the flag, if you will promise to
hoist it," answered one of the girls. "We are at work upon one now, and
will have it ready for you to-morrow at this hour, provided you can tell
us that the old flag has been hauled down. Tomorrow, mind. Shall we
expect you?"

"I'll be around," replied Cole, but he did not talk as glibly as he
usually did, for he was thinking about something else. To-morrow at that
hour. By gracious! that was bringing the thing straight home to a
fellow, wasn't it? That meant a