_ After me! What do you mean?

_White._ I believe it's the custom of all music-masters to first sing
the song they wish to teach. (_Aside to_ GRAY.) He can't sing a note.

_Gray._ (_Aside to_ WHITE.) He can't? good! Let's plague him.
(_Aloud._) Come, singing-master, proceed.

_Fred._ No matter about me. You two can sing, and when you make a
mistake I will correct it.

_Gray._ You'll correct it! That's good. With what, pray?

_Fred._ With this. (_Producing a ratten from under his jacket._)

_White._ O, dear, I don't like that sort of tuning-fork.

_Fred._ You'll get it if you don't hurry. Come, boys, "The Battle-cry
of Freedom."

_Gray._ (_Aside to_ WHITE.) Ned, do you know the song?

_White._ (_Aside._) I know just one line.

_Gray._ (_Aside._) O, dear, we're in a scrape. (_Aloud._) Master Fred,
will you please give me the first line? I've forgotten it.

_Fred._ Certainly. Let me see. "Rock me to sleep, mother." No, that
isn't it.

_White._ (_Aside._) He's split on that rock.

_Fred._ Hem! ah! "Dear father, dear father, come home." O, bother!

_Gray._ (_Aside._) It'll bother him to "come home" with that line.

_Fred._ "Give me a cot."--O, pshaw! I tell you what, boys, I didn't
come here to talk, but to listen: now you two sing away at once, or
down comes the ratten.

_Gray._ (_Aside._) I say, Ned, Brown doesn't know it? here's fun. Now
you just keep quiet, and ring in your line when I snap my fingers.

_White._ (_Aside._) All right. I understand. When you snap, I sing.

_Fred._ Come, come! Strike up, or I shall strike down.

_Gray._ (_Sings to the tune of the Battle-cry of Freedom_,)--

"Mary had a little lamb;
Its fleece was white as snow."

(_Snaps his fingers._)

_White._ (_Very loud._)

"Shouting the battle-cry of freedom."

_Gray._ (_Sings._)

"And everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go." (_Snaps._)

_White._ "Shouting the battle-cry of freedom."

_Fred._ Capital! Perfectly correct, perfectly correct. Sing again.

_Gray._ (_Sings._)

"It followed her to school one day;
It was against the rule." (_Snaps._)

_White._ "Shouting the battle-cry of freedom."

_Gray._ (_Sings._)

"It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school." (_Snaps._)

_White._ "Shouting the battle-cry of freedom."

_Fred._ Beautiful! beautiful! I couldn't do it better myself.

_Gray._ (_Aside._) I should think not.

_White._ Come, Mr. Singing-master, you