then with a sudden impulse he walked toward
Freddy, saying, "I beg your pardon, Colonel; please forgive me for
insulting you; and as for the flag"--and without another word, Tom ran
toward the flag staff, and catching the long folds of the banner in both
hands, pressed them to his lips.

"The chivalry forever!" said Mr. Schermerhorn, smiling. "That's right,
Tom! bless the old banner! it is your safeguard, and your countrymen's
too, if they would only believe it. Go and shake hands with him, boys;
he is in his right place now, and if ever you are tempted to quarrel
again, I am sure North and South will both remember

"BULL RUN!"

CHAPTER III.

BEFORE MONTEREY.

IT is not necessary to describe the particular proceedings of the
Dashahed Zouaves during every day of their camp life. They chattered,
played, drilled, quarrelled a little once in a while, and made it up
again, eat and slept considerably, and grew sunburnt to an astonishing
degree.

It was Thursday morning, the fourth of their delightful days in camp.
Jerry had been teaching them how to handle a musket and charge
bayonets, until they were quite excited, and rather put out that there
was no enemy to practise on but the grasshoppers. At length, when they
had tried everything that was to be done, Harry exclaimed, "I wish,
Jerry, you would tell us a story about the wars! Something real
splendid, now; perfectly crammed with Indians and scalps and awful
battles and elegant Mexican palaces full of diamonds and gold saucepans
and lovely Spanish girls carried off by the hair of their heads!"

This flourishing rigmarole, which Harry delivered regardless of stops,
made the boys shout with laughter.

"You'd better tell the story yourself, since you know so much about
it!" said Tom.

"I allow you've never been in Mexico, sir," said Jerry, grinning. "I
doubt but thar's palisses somewhar in Mexico, but I and my mates hev
been thar, an' _we_ never seed none o' 'em. No, Master Harry, I can't
tell ye sich stories as that, but I do mind a thing what happened on the
field afore Monterey."

The boys, delightedly exclaiming, "A story! a story! hurrah!" drew their
camp stools around him; and Jerry, after slowly rubbing his hand round
and round over his bristling chin, while he considered what to say
first, began his story as follows:

JERRY'S STORY.

"It wor a Sunday night, young genl'men, the 21st
of September,