," was not received with approbation by Jerry; who, looking at
them with a sort of deprecating pity, hoarsely said, "Now, Company D!
wot--wrong agin? fowod squad! wun, too, three, foore; hup! hup! hup!
hold your head up, Mr. Fred; turn out your toes, Master William, and
keep STEADY!"

"Goody!" exclaimed Freddy at last, stopping short in the middle of his
marching, "I can't stand this any longer! There, Jerry, we've had drill
enough, thank you; I am knocked into a cocked hat, for my part!"

"Very well, sir; it _is_ powerful hot; an' I must say you young genl'men
have kep' at it steadier nor I expected, a gred deal."

"Thank you, Jerry," said George, laughing, "we shall not forget our
first drill in a hurry. I can't tell, for my part, which has been most
bothered, you or we."

"Allers glad to give you a little practice," grinned Jerry, "though
you'd rive the gizzard out of an army drill sergeant, I'd wenture to
say, if he hed the teachin' of you. Hech! hech! hech! Mornin', genl'men,
your sarvent," and Jerry touched his cap to Colonel Freddy and marched
off chuckling.

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