him who won the first day. A long time
passed and there was no firing.

"Not so eager to rush us as they were," said Warner. "It's a
mathematical certainty that an army that's not running away is not
whipped, and that certainty is patent to our Southern friends also. But
to descend from mathematics to poetry, a great poet says that he who
runs away will live to fight another day. I will transpose and otherwise
change that, making it to read: He who does not run away may make the
other fellow unable to fight another day."

"You talk too much like a schoolmaster, George," said Pennington.

"The most important business of a school teacher is to teach the young
idea how to shoot, and lately I've had ample chances to give such
instruction."

It was not that they were frivolous, but like most other lads in the
army, they had grown into the habit of teasing one another, which was
often a relief to teaser as well as teased.

"I think, sir," said Dick to Colonel Winchester, "that some of our
troops are moving."

He was looking through his glasses toward the left, where he saw a
strong Union force, with banners waving, advancing toward Bragg's right.

"Ah, that is well done!" exclaimed Colonel Winchester. "If our men
break through there we'll cut Bragg off from Murfreesborough and his
ammunition and supplies."

They did not break through, but they maintained a long and vigorous
battle, while the centers and other wings of the two armies did not
stir. But it became evident to Dick later in the afternoon that a mighty
movement was about to begin. His glasses told him so, and the thrill of
expectation confirmed it.

Bragg was preparing to hurl his full strength upon Rosecrans.
Breckinridge, who would have been the President of the United States,
had not the Democrats divided, was to lead it. This division of five
brigades had formed under cover of a wood. On its flank was a battery
of ten guns and two thousand of the fierce riders of the South under
Wharton and Pegram. Dick felt instinctively that Colonel Kenton with his
regiment was there in the very thick of it.

Dick's regiment with Negley's strong Kentucky brigade, which had stopped
the panic and rout the day before, had now recrossed Stone River and
were posted strongly behind it. Ahead of them were two small brigades
with some cannon, and Rosecrans himself was with this force just as
Breckinridge's powerful division emerged into the open and began its
advance upo