e ground.
The officers posted the sentinels in triple force, but let the remainder
of the men rest.

As Dick lay down in the long grass two or three bullets dropped from
his clothes and he became conscious, too, that a bullet had grazed his
shoulder. But these trifles did not disturb him. It was so sweet to
rest! Nothing could be more heavenly than merely to lie there in the
long, soft grass and gaze up at the luminous sky, into which the stars
now stole to twinkle down at him peacefully.

"Don't go to sleep, Dick," said a voice near him. "I admit the
temptation is strong. I feel it myself, but General Grant may have to
send you and me forward to-night to win another battle."

"George, I'm glad to hear your preachy voice over there. Hurt any?"

"No. A million cannon balls brushed my right cheek and another million
brushed my left cheek, but they didn't touch me. They scared me to
death, but in the last few minutes I've begun to come back to life. In a
quarter of an hour I'll be just as much alive as I ever was."

"Do you know anything of Pennington?"

"Yes. The rascal is lying about six feet beyond me, sound asleep. In
spite of all I could do he wouldn't stay awake. I've punched him all
over to see if he was wounded, but as he didn't groan at a single punch,
he's all right."

"That being the case, I'm going to follow Pennington's example. You may
lecture me as much as you please, George, but you'll lecture only the
night, because I'll be far away from here in a land of sweet dreams."

"All right, if you're going to do it, I will too. You'll hear my snore
before I hear yours."

Both sank in a few minutes into a deep slumber, and when they awoke the
next morning they found that Bowen had abandoned Port Gibson and had
retreated into Grand Gulf again. There was great elation among the lads
and Dick began to feel that the position of the Union army in the far
South was strengthened immeasurably. He heard that Sherman, who had
stood so staunchly at Shiloh, was on his way to join Grant. Their united
forces would press the siege of Grand Gulf and would also turn to strike
at any foe who might approach from the rear.

Never since the war began had Dick felt so elated as he did that
morning. When he saw the short, thick-set figure of Grant riding by
he believed that the Union, in the West at least, had found its man at
last.

CHAPTER IV. DICK'S MISSION

The night came down warm and heavy. Spring was far adv