ne foot kicking back the
coals, his bald head a white disc in the glow.

"General Ewell, sir," said Harry.

General Ewell turned about and when he saw Harry his face clearly showed
gladness. He could not rise easily, but he stretched out a welcoming
hand.

"Ah! Kenton," he said, "you're a pleasant sight to tired eyes like mine.
You bring back the glorious old days in the valley. So it's a message
from the commander-in-chief?"

"Yes, sir. Here it is."

Ewell read it rapidly by the firelight and smiled.

"He tells us we're nearest to the enemy," he said, "and to hold fast,
if we're attacked. You're to remain with us and report what happens,
but doubtless you knew all this."

"Yes, I had to commit it to memory before I started."

"Then stay here with me. I may want to report to General Lee at any
time. The enemy is in our front only three or four miles away. He knows
we're here and it was a villainous surprise to him to find us in his way.
They say this man Grant is a pounder. So is Lee, when the time comes to
pound, but he's that and far more. I tell you, young man, that General
Lee has had to trim a lot of Northern generals. McClellan and Pope and
Burnside and Hooker and Meade have been going to school to him, and now
Grant is qualifying for his class."

"But Grant is a great general. So our men in the West themselves say."

"He may be, but Lee is greater, greatest. And, Harry, you and I, who
knew him and loved him, wish that another who alone was fit to ride by
his side was here with him."

"I wish it from the bottom of my heart," said Harry.

"Well, well, regrets are useless. Help me up, Harry. I'm only part of a
man, but I can still fight."

"We saw you do that at Gettysburg," said Harry, as he put his arm under
Ewell's shoulder. Then Ewell took his crutch and they walked to the far
side of the glade, where several officers of his staff gathered around
him.

"Lieutenant Kenton, whom you all know," said General Ewell, "has brought
a message from the commander-in-chief that we will be attacked first,
and to be on guard. We consider it an honor, do we not, my lads?"

"Yes, let them come," they said.

"Harry, you may want to see the enemy. Clayton, you and Campbell take
him forward through the pickets. But don't go too far. We don't want
to lose three perfectly good young officers before the battle begins.
After that it may be your business to get yourselves shot."

The two rode ne