h spared, were
allied against man.

But his pulses began to leap when they saw coils of black smoke blown
a little to one side by the wind. He knew that the smoke came from
gunboats. They must be endeavoring to land troops, and Stuart was no
man to allow a detached force to pass the Rappahannock and appear in
their rear.

As the cavalry burst into a gallop from the snowy forest Harry saw that
he was right. A fleet of gunboats was gathered in the stream and on
the far shore they were embarking troops. But his quick eye caught a
horseman on their own side of the river who was galloping away. He was
already too distant for a rifle shot, but Harry instinctively knew that
it was Shepard. He had seen the man under such extraordinarily vivid
circumstances that the set of his figure was familiar.

Nor was he surprised to behold Shepard now. He merely wondered that
he had not seen him earlier, so great was his activity and daring, and
he had no doubt that he had brought the gunboats and the Union troops
warning that Stuart was coming. He was sure of it the moment the
cavalry emerged from the woods, because one of the gunboats instantly
turned loose with two heavy guns which sent shells whistling and
screaming over their heads. Had they been a little better aimed they
would have done much destruction, and Harry saw at once that they were
going to have an ugly time with these saucy little demons of the water.

Another boat fired. One of the cavalrymen was killed and several
wounded. Stuart promptly drew his men back to the edge of the wood,
unlimbered and posted his cannon. Quick as they were, the black wasps
on the river buzzed and stung as fast. Shells and solid shot were
whistling among them and about them. They were good gunners on those
boats and the men in gray acknowledged it by the rapidity with which
they took to shelter.

But Stuart's blood was at its utmost heat. He had no intention of being
driven off, and soon his own light guns were sending shell and solid
shot toward the boats, which had relanded their troops on the other side,
and which were now puffing up and down the river like the angry little
demons they were, sending shells, solid shot, grape and canister into
the woods and along the slopes where the horsemen had disappeared.

Harry and Dalton were glad to dismount and to get behind both the
trees and the curve of the embankment. Harry, despite a pretty full
experience now, could not rep