as once more deeply grateful that he had
escaped from the muddy trench.

"We'll pass through a gap, sir, tomorrow morning," said Sergeant Whitley,
"and go into the main valley."

"The gap would be the place for the Southern force to meet us."

But Sergeant Whitley shook his head.

"There are too many gaps and too few Southern troops," he said. "I think
we'll find this one clear. Besides, Colonel Hertford is sure to send
a scouting party ahead tonight. But if you don't mind taking a little
advice from an old trooper, sir, I'd lie on the grass and sleep while
we're here. An hour even will do a lot of good."

Dick followed his advice gladly and thanked him. He was always willing
to receive instruction from Sergeant Whitley, who had proved himself his
true friend and who in reality was able to teach men of much higher rank.
He lay down upon the brown grass, and despite all the noise, despite all
the excitement of past hours, fell fast asleep in a few minutes. He
slept an hour, but it seemed to him that he had scarcely closed his eyes,
when the trumpets were calling boots and saddles again. Yet he felt
refreshed and stronger when he sprang up, and Sergeant Whitley's advice,
as always, had proved good.

The column resumed its march before mid-afternoon, continuing its
progress through a silent and empty country. The blue wall came closer
and closer and Dick and his comrade saw the lighter line, looking in
the distance like the slash of a sword, that marked the gap. Shepard,
who rode a very swift and powerful horse, came back from another scouting
trip and reported that there was no sign of the enemy, at least at the
entrance to the gap.

Later in the afternoon, as they were passing through a forest several
shots were fired at them from the covert. No damage was done beyond
one man wounded slightly, and Dick, under orders, led a short pursuit.
He was glad that they found no one, as prisoners would have been an
incumbrance, and it was not the custom in the United States to shoot men
not in uniform who were defending the soil on which they lived. He had
no doubt that those who had fired the shots were farmers, but it had been
easy for them to make good their escape in the thickets.

He thought he saw relief on Colonel Hertford's face also, when he
reported that the riflemen had escaped, and, after spreading out
skirmishers a little farther on either flank, the column, which had never
broken its march, went on