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.

Up jumped Tom, kicked away the stool, and rushed toward Fred. But the
others were too quick for him; they seized his arms and dragged him
back; Peter calling out "No, don't fight him, Colonel; he's not worth
it; let's have a court martial--that's the way to serve traitors!"

Amid a perfect uproar of rage and contempt for this shameful attack on
their Colonel, the Zouaves hastily arranged some camp stools for judge
and jury; and George being chosen judge, the oldest members of the
regiment took their places around him, and Tom was hauled up before the
Court.

"Oh stop, pray stop!" cried Freddy at this stage of affairs. "Indeed, I
forgive him for what he said to me, if he will take back his language
about the Union. I can't stand _that_."

"You hear what the Colonel says," said George, sternly; "will you
retract?"

"No, never! if you think I'm going to be frightened into submission to a
Northerner you're very much mistaken! No Southerner will ever be that!
and as for your precious Union, I don't care if I say I hope there never
will be a Union any more."

"Then, by George!" shouted the judge, fairly springing from his seat,
"You're a traitor, sir! Fellows, whoever is in favor of having this
secessionist put under arrest, say Aye!"

"Aye! AYE! AYE!" in a perfect roar.

"Does any one object?" Nobody spoke.

"Then I sentence him to be confined in the guard house till he begs
pardon; Livingston, Costar, and Boorman to take him there."

His captors pounced upon their prisoner with very little ceremony when
this sentence was pronounced; when Tom, without attempting to escape,
suddenly commenced striking out at every one he could reach. A grand
hurley-burley ensued; but before long Tom was overpowered and dragged to
the smoke, _alias_ guard house; heaping insults and taunts on the Union
and the regiment all the way. Harry