"It's heavy and close as if it were being all crowded together. It makes
your lungs work twice as hard as usual, and it's also a sign."

"Tell your sign, old weather sharp," said Warner.

"It's simple enough. The sign may not be so strong here, but it applies
just as it does on the great plains. It means that a storm is coming.
Anybody could tell that. Look there, in the southwest. See that cloud
edging itself over the horizon. Things will turn loose to-night. Don't
you say the same, sergeant? You've been out in my country."

Sergeant Whitley was standing near them regarding the cloud attentively.

"Yes, Mr. Pennington," he replied. "I was out there a long time and I'd
rather be there now fighting the Indians, instead of fighting our own
people, although no other choice was left me. I've seen some terrible
hurricanes on the plains, winds that would cut the earth as if it was
done with a ploughshare, and these armies are going to be rained on
mighty hard to-night."

Dick smiled a little at the sergeant's solemn tone, and formal words,
but he saw that he was very much in earnest. Nor was he one to underrate
weather effects upon movements in war.

"What will it mean to the two armies, sergeant?" he asked.

"Depends upon what happens before she busts. If a rebel force is then
across it's bad for us, but if it ain't the more water between us an'
them the better. This, I take it, is the end of the drought, and a flood
will come tumbling down from the mountains."

The sun now darkened and the clouds gathered heavily on the Western
horizon. Colonel Winchester's anxiety increased fast. It became evident
that the regiment could not reach Sulphur Springs until far into
the night, and, still full of alarms, he resolved to take a small
detachment, chiefly of his staff, and ride forward at the utmost speed.

He chose about twenty men, including Dick, Warner, Pennington, Sergeant
Whitley, and another veteran who were mounted on the horses of junior
officers left behind, and pressed forward with speed. A West Virginian
named Shattuck knew something of the country, and led them.

"What is this place, Sulphur Springs?" asked Colonel Winchester of
Shattuck.

"Some big sulphur springs spout out of the bank and run down to the
river. They are fine and healthy to drink an' there's a lot of cottages
built up by people who come there to stay a while. But I guess them
people have gone away. It ain't no place for health just at this t