rm heart that
always beat steadfastly for his friends and his country.

"Dick," he said, "have they heard anything directly from Harper's
Ferry?"

"Not a word, at least none that I've heard about, but it's quite sure
that Jackson hasn't taken the place yet. Why should he? We have there
twelve or thirteen thousand good men, most of whom have proven their
worth in the valley. Why, they ought to beat him off entirely."

"And while they're doing that we ought to be taking Mr. Lee and a lot of
well-known Confederate gentlemen. I've made a close calculation, Dick,
and I figure that the chances are at least eighty per cent in favor of
our taking or destroying Lee's army."

"I wish we had started sooner," said Pennington. "We've lost a whole
day, one of the most precious days the world has ever known."

"You're right, Frank, and I've allowed that fact to figure importantly
in my reckoning. If it were not for the lost day I'd figure our chance
of making the finishing stroke at ninety-five per cent. But boys, it's
glorious to be back with you. Once, I thought when we were marching back
and forth so much that if I could only lie down and rest for a week or
two I'd be the happiest fellow on earth. But it became awful as I lay
there, day after day. I had suddenly left the world. All the great
events were going on without me. North or South might win, while I lay
stretched on a hospital bed. It was beyond endurance. If I hadn't got
well so fast that they could let me go, I'd have climbed out of the
window with what strength I had, and have made for the army anyhow. Did
you ever feel a finer wind than this? What a beautiful country! It must
be the most magnificent in the world!"

Dick and Pennington laughed. Old George was growing gushy. But they
understood that he saw with the eyes of the released prisoner.

"It is beautiful," said Dick, "and it's a pity that it should be ripped
up by war. Listen, boys, there's the call that's growing mighty familiar
to us all!"

Far in front behind the hills they heard the low grumbling of cannon.
And further away to the west they heard the same sinister mutter. The
Confederates were scattered widely, and the fateful Orders No. 191 might
cause their total destruction, but they were on guard, nevertheless.
Jackson, foreseeing the possible advance of McClellan, had sent back
Hill with a division to help Lee, and to delay the Northern army until
he himself should come with all his force.

In