fact.

"So it seems," said Warner, "and I'm afraid it bodes ill for General
Pope."

CHAPTER IV. SPRINGING THE TRAP

Lying close in the bushes the little party watched the Southerners
making themselves ready for the night. The cottages were prepared for
the higher officers, but the men stacked arms in the open ground all
about. As well as they could judge by the light of the low fires,
soldiers were still crossing the river to strengthen the force already
on the Union side.

Colonel Winchester suppressed a groan. Dick noticed that his face was
pallid in the uncertain shadows, and he understood the agony of spirit
that the brave man must suffer when he saw that they had been outflanked
by their enemy.

Sergeant Whitley, moving forward a little, touched the colonel on the
arm.

"All the clouds that we saw a little further back," he said, "have
gathered together, an' the storm is about to bust. See, sir, how fast
the Johnnies are spreadin' their tents an' runnin' to shelter."

"It's so, sergeant," said Colonel Winchester. "I was so much absorbed in
watching those men that I thank you for reminding me. We've seen enough
anyway and we'd better get back as fast as we can."

They hurried through the trees and bushes toward their horses, taking
no particular pains now to deaden their footsteps, since the Southerners
themselves were making a good deal of noise as they took refuge.

But the storm was upon them before they could reach their horses. The
last star was gone and the somber clouds covered the whole heavens. The
wind ceased to moan and the air was heavy with apprehension. Deep and
sullen thunder began to mutter on the southwestern horizon. Then came
a mighty crash and a great blaze of lightning seemed to cleave the sky
straight down the center.

The lightning and thunder made Dick jump, and for a few moments he
was blinded by the electric glare. He heard a heavy sound of something
falling, and exclaimed:

"Are any of you hurt?"

"No," said Warner, who alone heard him, "but we're scared half to
death. When a drought breaks up I wish it wouldn't break up with such a
terrible fuss. Listen to that thunder again, won't you!"

There was another terrible crash of thunder and the whole sky blazed
with lightning. Despite himself Dick shrank again. The first bolt had
struck a tree which had fallen within thirty feet of them, but the
second left this bit of the woods unscathed.

A third and a fourth bolt