see you here with us again."

"Thank you, sir," said Dick, feeling an immense pride because this man,
whom he admired so much, remembered him.

"It was a difficult duty and you did it well. I found that you got
through safely. I made inquiries about you and I traced you as far as
Shiloh, but I could get no further."

"I was at Shiloh," said Dick proudly. "I was captured just before it
began, but I escaped while it was at its height and fought until the
close."

"And after that?"

"My regiment was sent east, sir. I went with it through the Second
Manassas and Antietam. Then we came back west to help General Buell. I
was at Perryville and was wounded there, but I soon got well."

"Perryville was a terrible battle. It was short, but it is incredible
with what fury the troops fought. We should do better here."

Dick saw that the last sentence which was spoken in a low tone was not
addressed to him. It was merely a murmured expression of the general's
own thoughts, and he remained silent.

"You can go now, Lieutenant Mason," said General Thomas, after a few
moments, "and let us together wish for the best."

"Thank you, sir," said Dick, highly flattered again. Then he saluted and
retired.

He rode back somewhat slowly through the cedars, but he kept a wary eye.
The enemy's cavalry was daring, and he might be rushed by them at any
time or be ambushed by sharpshooters on foot. His watch for the enemy
also enabled him to examine the country closely. He saw many hills and
hollows covered mostly with forests, with the red cedar and its dark
green boughs predominating. He also saw the flash of many waters, and,
where the roads cut through the soil, a deep red clay was exposed to
view. He knew that it would be difficult for the armies to get into
line for battle, because of the heavy, sticky nature of the ground, upon
which so much rain had fallen.

He made his way safely back to the camp of his corps, although he saw
hostile cavalry galloping in the valleys in the direction of Stone
River, and all through the afternoon he heard the crackle of rifle shots
in the same direction. The skirmishers were continually in touch and
they were busy.

The corps moved up a little, but Dick thought it likely that there would
be no battle the next day either. Rosecrans could not afford to attack
until his full force, with all its artillery, was up, and marching was
slow and exhausting in the sea of sticky mud.

Dick was right. Th