egulations to the winds, and openly defying courts-martial
and every other form of punishment, climbed the fence in plain sight of
the sentries and went to town in a body. At least that was what some of
them did; but a few of the more obedient and easy-going ones, like Marcy
Gray and his particular friends, asked for a pass when they desired it,
and if they didn't get it they had self-control enough to remain within
bounds.

Rodney Gray and the boys who went to Barrington with him on the day we
have mentioned saw that there was "something up" the minute they reached
town. Blue "nullification" badges, and red, white, and blue rosettes
were seen on every side, and strange banners were waving in the air;
those who had no flag-staffs in their yards or on their houses hanging
the colors out of their upper windows. Heretofore the students had
sometimes seen men and women walking the streets with small Union flags
pinned to their breasts; but there was not one in sight now.

"What's in the wind?" exclaimed Rodney, after he had taken a glance
around and noted these little things. "And what sort of a flag is that
up there on Mr. Riley's office?"

"It must be the new Confederate banner, that made its appearance for the
first time on the 4th," replied Dick Graham, who was one of the party.

"Hurry up, fellows," cried Ed Billings, catching the two by the arm and
quickening his pace. "We're going to hear great news this evening, and I
am impatient to know what it will be. Hold on; now we shall hear all
about it."

Just then a couple of young ladies with whom they were well acquainted
came up; the boys lifted their caps to them, and Ed continued, pointing
first to the red, white, and blue rosettes with which they were
decorated, and then at the new colors that were fluttering over their
heads:

"Anything exciting been going on lately? And what has become of all the
little Union flags we saw yesterday?"

"No doubt they have been concealed to await the time when the Yankees
shall come marching through here with fire and sword," replied one of
the girls.

Such talk was common enough in the South in those days, and the people
learned it not only from their own leaders, but from secession
sympathizers who lived in the North. Fire and sword were just what
Jefferson Davis intended to give the States that did not belong to the
Confederacy. This is what he said in his speech at Montgomery on the
evening of February 15:

"If war mu