te with the soldiers, they cheered him as he
passed, and he would raise his hat, a flush of pride showing through the
tan of his cheeks.

"If a general, after being defeated, can still retain the confidence
of his army he must have great qualities of some kind," said Dick to
Colonel Winchester.

"That's true, Dick. McClellan lost at the Seven Days, and he has just
taken over an army that was trapped and beaten under Pope, but behold
the spirits of the men, although the Second Manassas is only a few days
away. McClellan looks after the private soldier, and if he could only
look after an army in the way that he organizes it this war would soon
be over."

Dick noticed that the colonel put emphasis on the "if" and his heart
sank a little. But it soon rose again. The Army of the Potomac was now
a veteran body. It had been tested in the fire of defeat, and it had
emerged stronger and braver than ever.

But Dick did not like the mystery about Lee and Jackson. They had an
extraordinary ability to drop out of sight, to draw a veil before them
so completely that no Union scout or skirmisher could penetrate it. And
these disappearances were always full of sinister omens, portending a
terrible attack from an unknown quarter. But when Dick looked upon the
great and brave Army of the Potomac, nearly a hundred thousand strong,
his apprehensions disappeared. The Army of the Potomac could not be
beaten, and since Lee and Jackson were venturing so far from their base,
they might be destroyed. He confided his faith to Pennington who rode
beside him.

"I tell you, Frank, old man," he said, "the Southern army may never get
back into Virginia."

"Not if we light a prairie fire behind it and set another in front. Then
we'll have 'em trapped same as they trapped us at Manassas. Wouldn't
it be funny if we'd turn their own trick on 'em, and end the war right
away?"

"It would be more than funny. It would be grand, superb, splendid,
magnificent. But I wish old George was here. Why did he want to get in
the way of that bullet? I hate to think of ending the war without him."

"Maybe he'll get up in time yet, Dick. I saw him a few hours before
we started. The doctors said that youth, clean blood and clean living
counted for a lot--I guess George would put it at ninety per cent, and
that his wound, the bullet having gone through, would heal at a record
rate."

"Then we'll see him soon. When he's strong enough to ride a horse,
nothing can