"

"And they mean to make it warm for us. Listen to those guns! It's hard
shooting aiming at men on heights, but it shows what they could do on
level ground."

Jackson presently retired with his officers, and Harry, parting from his
friends of the Invincibles, went with him. Back among the ridges all the
troops were under arms, the weary ones having risen from their blankets
which were now tied in rolls on their backs. They had not yet been able
to bring the artillery up the steeps. Harry saw that the faces of all
were eager as they heard the thunder of the guns in the valley below.
Among the most eager was a regiment of Georgians arrived but recently
with the reinforcements.

Many of the men, speaking from the obscurity of the crowded ranks, did
not scorn to hurl questions at their officers.

"Are we goin' to fight the Yankees at last?"

"I'd rather take my chances with the bullets than march any more."

"Lead us down an' give us a chance at 'em."

Colonel Leonidas Talbot and Lieutenant-Colonel Hector St. Hilaire were
among the officers who had gone with Jackson to the verge of the cliff,
and now when they heard the impertinent but eager questions from the
massed ranks they looked at each other and smiled. It was not according
to West Point, but these were recruits and here was enthusiasm which was
a pearl beyond price.

General Jackson beckoned to Harry and three other young staff officers.

"Take glasses," he said, "go back to the verge of the cliff, and watch
for movements on the part of the enemy. If any is made be sure that you
see it, and report it to me at once."

The words were abrupt, sharp, admitting of no question or delay, and
the four fairly ran. Harry and his comrades lay down at the edge of the
cliff and swept the valley with their glasses. The great guns were still
firing at intervals of about a minute. The gunners could not see the
Southern troops drawn back behind the ridges, but Harry believed that
they might be guided by signals from men on opposite slopes. But if
signalmen were there they were hidden by the forest even from his
glasses.

The smoke from the cannon was gathering heavily in the narrow valley, so
heavily that it began to obscure what was passing there in the Northern
army. But the four, remembering the injunction of Jackson, a man who
must be obeyed to the last and minutest detail, still sought to pierce
through the smoke both with the naked eye and with glasses. As a rift