ins on one side, into the mountains on the
other. The pocket was mebbe two miles long an' mebbe a mile across, an'
it was chock full of green trees an' green grass, an' wild flowers. We
enjoyed its comforts, but do you think that was all? Every man among us,
an' there was at least a dozen who couldn't read, admired its beauties,
an' begun to talk softer an' more gentle than they did when they was out
on the dry plains. An' you feel them things more in war than you do at
any other time."

"I suppose you do," said Dick. "The spring is coming out now in Kentucky
where I live, and I'd like to see the new grass rippling before the
wind, and the young leaves on the trees rustling softly together."

"Stop sentimentalizing," said Warner. "If you don't it won't be a minute
before Pennington will begin to talk about his Nebraska plains, and how
he'd like to see the buffalo herds ten million strong, rocking the earth
as they go galloping by."

Pennington smiled.

"I won't see the buffalo herds," he said, "but look at the wild fowl
going north."

They left the window as the rain had ceased, and went outside. All this
region was still primitive and thinly settled, and now they saw flocks
of wild ducks and wild geese winging northward. The next day the heavens
themselves were darkened by an immense flight of wild pigeons. The
country cut up by so many rivers, creeks and brooks swarmed with wild
fowl, and more than once the soldiers roused up deer from the thickets.

The second day after the talk of the four in the little church Dick, who
was now regarded as a most efficient and trusty young staff officer, was
sent with a dispatch to General Buell requesting him to press forward
with as much speed as he could to the junction with General Grant.
Several other aides were sent by different routes, in order to make sure
that at least one would arrive, but Dick, through his former ride with
Colonel Winchester to Nashville, had the most knowledge of the country,
and hence was likely to reach Buell first.

As the boy rode from the camp and crossed the river into the forest he
looked back, and he could not fail to notice to what an extent it
was yet a citizen army, and not one of trained soldiers. The veteran
sergeant had already called his attention to what he deemed grave
omissions. In the three weeks that they had been lying there they had
thrown up no earthworks. Not a spade had touched the earth. Nor was
there any other defense o