e their losses had been enormous, the
courage and spirit of the Army of Northern Virginia were unshaken.
Stuart with the cavalry, expected earlier, would certainly be up soon,
and, after all, the day had not been without its gains. Longstreet held
the Peach Orchard and Ewell was in the Union defenses on the flank of
Gettysburg.

But Lee thought most of the troops. These ragged veterans of his
who had been invincible asked to be led once more against the enemy.
A spirit so high as theirs could not be denied. His decision was given.
They would stay and smash the Union army on the morrow.

Harry heard of the decision. He had never doubted that it would be so.
They must surely win the next day with the addition of Pickett's men
and Stuart's cavalry. He wondered why Stuart had not come up already,
but he learned the next morning that a good reason had held him back.

The Union cavalry, always vigilant now, had intercepted Stuart in the
afternoon and had given him battle, just when the combat of the second
day had begun at Gettysburg. Gregg led the horsemen in blue and there
was another combat like that at Brandy Station, now about five thousand
sabres on a side. There was a long and desperate struggle in which
neither force could win, young Custer in particular showing uncommon
skill and courage for the North, while Wade Hampton performed prodigies
for the South. At last they drew off by mutual consent, Gregg into the
forest, while Stuart, with his reduced force, rode on in the night to
Lee. But Gregg in holding back Stuart had struck the Southern army a
great blow.

Harry and Dalton with nothing to do received permission to go among the
soldiers, and as they marked their spirits, their own rose. Then they
passed down toward the battlefield. Harry had some idea that they might
again find the Invincibles, as they had found them the night before,
but their time was too short. The Invincibles were somewhere in the
front, he learned, and, disappointed, he and Dalton turned back into the
valley.

The night was clear and bright, and they saw many men coming and going
from a cold spring under the shadow of the trees. Some of them were
wounded and limped painfully. Others carried away water in their hats
and caps for comrades too badly wounded to move. Harry observed that
some wore the blue, and some the gray. Both he and Dalton were assailed
by a burning thirst at the sight of the water, and they went to the
s