may _think_ what you please, but if you utter another word of treason in
Pinchbrook during the term of your natural life, the party outside will
carry out the rest of the programme."

By this time Fred Pemberton had fastened the flag to one of his mother's
clothes poles, and suspended it out of the window over the porch. It was
hailed with three tremendous cheers by the multitude who were in waiting
to discipline the squire, and exorcise the evil spirit of treason and
secession.

The work of the evening was finished, not wholly to the satisfaction,
perhaps, of a portion of the younger members of the assemblage, who would
gladly have joined in the work of pillage and destruction, but much to the
gratification of the older and steadier portion of the crowd, who were
averse to violent proceedings.




CHAPTER IV.

THE COMMITTEE COME OUT, AND TOM GOES IN.


While the committee which the loyal citizens of Pinchbrook had appointed
to conduct their case with Squire Pemberton were in the house, engaged in
bringing the traitor to terms, the younger members of the assemblage were
very impatient to know how matters were progressing. Thomas Somers was
particularly anxious to have the affair brought to a crisis. In vain he
and a few other of the young loyalists attempted to obtain a view of the