oldiers,
when they turned a curve, and at the end of the road, a few hundred
yards ahead, stood several horsemen.

"There they are," exclaimed both boys.

"No, that is a picket," said their mother; "gallop on, Frank, and
tell them we are bringing breakfast for the regiment."

Frank dashed ahead, and soon they saw a soldier ride forward to meet
him, and, after a few words, return with him to his comrades. Then,
while they were still a hundred yards distant, they saw Frank, who had
received some directions, start off again toward the bridge, at a hard
gallop. The picket had told him to go straight on down the hill, and
he would find the camp just the other side of the bridge. He
accordingly rode on, feeling very important at being allowed to go
alone to the camp on such a mission.

As he reached a turn in the road, just above the river, the whole
regiment lay swarming below him among the large trees on the bank of
the little stream. The horses were picketed to bushes and stakes, in
long rows, the saddles lying on the ground, not far off; and hundreds
of men were moving about, some in full uniform and others without coat
or vest. A half-dozen wagons with sheets on them stood on one side
among the trees, near which several fires were smoking, with men
around them.

As Frank clattered up to the bridge, a soldier with a gun on his arm,
who had been standing by the railing, walked out to the middle of the
bridge.

"Halt! Where are you going in such a hurry, my young man?" he said.

"I wish to see the colonel," said Frank, repeating as nearly as he
could the words the picket had told him.

"What do you want with him?"

Frank was tempted not to tell him; but he was so impatient to deliver
his message before the others should arrive, that he told him what he
had come for.

"There he is," said the sentinel, pointing to a place among the trees
where stood at least five hundred men.

Frank looked, expecting to recognize the colonel by his noble bearing,
or splendid uniform, or some striking marks.

"Where?" he asked, in doubt; for while a number of the men were in
uniform, he knew these to be privates.

"There," said the sentry, pointing; "by that stump, near the yellow
horse-blanket."

Frank looked again. The only man he could fix upon by the description
was a young fellow, washing his face in a tin basin, and he felt that
this could not be the colonel; but he did not like to appear dull, so
he thanked the man a