und was sinking. Occasionally flashes from the mouths of
the great guns illumined the darkness.

Dick did not know what time it was. He had no idea how long he had
been lying upon the ground panting, the air surcharged with menace and
suspense. The vast clouds of dust, impregnated with burned gunpowder
still floated about, and it scorched his mouth and throat as he breathed
it.

The boys, after eating and drinking lay down again. They still heard the
firing of pickets, but it was no more than the buzzing of bees to them,
and after a while they fell into the sleep of nervous and physical
exhaustion. But while many of the soldiers slept all of the generals
were awake.

It was a singular fact but in the night that divided the great battle
of the Second Manassas into two days both sides were full of confidence.
Jackson's men, who had borne the brunt of the first day, rested upon
their arms and awaited the dawn with implicit confidence in their
leader. On the other flank Lee and Longstreet were massing their men for
a fresh attack.

The losses within the Union lines were replaced by reinforcements. Pope
rode among them, sanguine, full of hope, telegraphing to Washington that
the enemy had lost two to his one, and that Lee was retreating toward
the mountains.

Dick slept uneasily through the night, and rose to another hot August
sun. Then the two armies looked at each other and it seemed that each
was waiting for the other to begin, as the morning hours dragged on and
only the skirmishers were busy. During this comparative peace, the heavy
clouds of dust were not floating about, and Dick whose body had come to
life again walked back and forth with his colonel, gazing through their
glasses at the enemy. He scarcely noticed it, but Colonel Winchester's
manner toward him had become paternal. The boy merely ascribed it to the
friendly feeling an officer would feel for a faithful aide, but he knew
that he had in his colonel one to whom he could speak both as a friend
and a protector. Walking together they talked freely of the enemy who
stood before them in such an imposing array.

"Colonel," said Dick, "do you think General Pope is correct in stating
that one wing of the Southern army is already retreating through
Thoroughfare Gap?"

"I don't, Dick. I don't think it is even remotely probable. I'm quite
sure, too, that we have the whole Confederate army in front of us. We'll
have to beat both Lee and Jackson, if we can."