st of the Invincibles were lads, or but little more,
and they two middle-aged men felt that they were responsible for them.
In the face of defeat and irretrievable disaster they recovered their
courage, and refused to abandon hope.

"A dark sunset, Hector," said Colonel Talbot, "but a bright dawn will
come, even yet."

"Who can doubt it, Leonidas? We won a glorious victory over odds in
the morning, but when a million Yankees appeared on the field in the
afternoon it was too much."

"That's always the trouble, Hector. We are never able to finish our
victories, because so many of the enemy always come up before the work
is done."

"It's a great pity, Leonidas, that we didn't count the Yankees before the
war was started."

"It's too late now. Don't call up a sore subject, Hector. We've got to
take care of these lads of ours, and try to get them across the mountain
somehow to Lee. It's useless to seek Early and we couldn't reach him if
we tried. He's done for."

"Alas! It's true, Leonidas! We're through with the valley for this
autumn at least, and, since the organization of the army here is broken
up, there is nothing for us to do but go to Lee. Harry, is this a high
mountain?"

"Not so very high, sir," replied Harry Kenton, who was just behind him,
"but I don't think we can cross it tonight."

"Maybe we don't want to do so," said Colonel Talbot. "You boys have food
in your knapsacks, taken from the Union camps, which we held for a few
short and glorious hours. At least we have brought off those valuable
trophies, and, when we have climbed higher up the mountain side, we will
sup and rest."

The colonel held himself very erect, and spoke in a firm proud tone.
He would inspire a high spirit into the hearts of these boys of his,
and in doing so he inspired a great deal of it into his own. He looked
back at his column, which still limped bravely after him. It was too
dark for him to see the faces of the lads, but he knew that none of them
expressed despair.

"That's the way, my brave fellows," he said. "I know we'll find a warm
and comfortable cove higher up. We'll sleep there, and tomorrow we'll
start toward Lee. When we join him we'll whip Grant, come back here and
rout Sheridan and then go on and take Washington."

"Where I mean yet, sir, to sleep in the White House with my boots on,"
said the irrepressible Happy.

"You are a youth frivolous of speech, Thomas Langdon," said Colonel
Leonidas