he line, but it's kept a secret from the rest
of us here."

The sergeant went away presently, and Dick, going down stream, joined
some other young officers in a pool. He lay on the bank afterward, but,
shortly after dark, Colonel Winchester returned, gave an order, and the
whole regiment marched away in the dusk. Dick felt sure that the event
Sergeant Whitley had predicted was about to happen, but the colonel gave
no hint of its nature, and he continued to wonder, as they advanced
steadily in the dusk.

CHAPTER II

THE WOMAN AT THE HOUSE

The men marched on for a long time, and, after a while, they heard the
hum of many voices and the restless movements that betokened the presence
of numerous troops. Dick, who had dismounted, walked forward a little
distance with Colonel Winchester, and, in the moonlight, he was able
to see that a large division of the army was gathered near, resting on
its arms. It was obvious that the important movement, of which he had
been hearing so much, was at hand, but the colonel volunteered nothing
concerning its nature.

The troops were allowed to lie down, and, with the calmness that comes
of long experience, they soon fell asleep. But the officers waited and
watched, and Dick saw other regiments arriving. Warner, who had pushed
through some bushes, came back and said in a whisper:

"I've seen a half-dozen great mounds of fresh earth."

"Earth taken out to make a trench, no doubt," said Dick.

But Warner shook his head.

"There's too much of it," he said, "and it's been carried too far to the
rear. In my opinion extensive mining operations have been going on here."

"For what?" asked Pennington. "Not for silver or gold. We're no
treasure hunters, and besides, there's none here."

Warner shook his head again.

"I don't know," he replied, "but I'm quite sure that it has something to
do, perhaps all to do, with the movement now at hand. To the right of us,
regiments, including several of colored troops, are already forming in
line of battle, and I've no doubt our turn will come before long."

"We must be intending to make an attack," said Dick, "but I don't suppose
we'll move until day."

He had learned long since that night attacks were very risky. Friend was
likely to fire into friend and the dusk and confusion invariably forbade
victory. But the faculties that create anxiety and alarm had been dulled
for the time by immense exertions and dangers, and he pla