seems to be possessed of, it should be satisfied." This was sarcasm
and intended to hurt Tom's feelings and humiliate him, but instead it
only aroused a feeling of resentment in his breast, and almost before
he realized what he was saying, he exclaimed aloud:

"I'd like to kick him!"

"Who, the general?" queried one of the soldiers.

"Yes," said Tom, boldly.

"You'd better not let him hear you say anything like that, sonny!"

"Say, comrades," remarked another, maliciously, "let's go back and
tell the general what he said."

"No, let's not," said another. "The general would whip out his sword
and cut the boy's head off. Come on; it will be punishment sufficient
to be incarcerated in the old prison-ship, even if he is a spy."

"I guess you're right about that, comrade."

"If it was me," spoke up another, "I believe I'd rather have my head
cut off and be done with it, than to be imprisoned in that old hulk."

"I guess you're about right," agreed the first speaker. "I certainly
would hate to have to change places with you, my boy."

Tom decided that the prison-ship must be a terrible place, and he was
destined to soon find that such was really the case.