formed their duties. Sometimes he was away for two or three
days upon this work; but he generally managed once or twice a week to
get home for a few hours.

The inhabitants of Richmond and its neighborhood were naturally greatly
interested in the progress of the works for their defense, and parties
were often organized to ride or drive to Yorktown, or to the batteries
on the James River, to watch the progress made. Upon one occasion
Vincent accompanied his mother and sisters, and a party of ladies and
gentlemen from the neighboring plantations, to Drury's Bluff, where an
intrenched position named Fort Darling had been erected, and
preparations made to sink vessels across the river, and close it against
the advance of the enemy's fleet, should any misfortune happen to the
_Merrimac_.

Several other parties had been made up, and each brought provisions with
them, General Magruder and some of his officers received them upon their
arrival, and conducted them over the works. After this the whole party
sat down to a picnic meal on the ground, and no stranger could have
guessed that the merry party formed part of a population threatened with
invasion by a powerful foe. There were speeches and toasts, all of a
patriotic character, and General Magruder raised the enthusiasm to the
highest point by informing them that in a few days--the exact day was a
secret, but it would be very shortly--the _Merrimac_, or, as she had
been rechristened, the _Virginia_, would put out of Norfolk Harbor, and
see what she could do to clear Hampton Roads of the fleet that now
threatened them. As they were riding back to Richmond the general said
to Vincent:

"I will tell you a little more than I told the others, Wingfield. I
believe the _Merrimac_ will go out the day after to-morrow. I wish I
could get away myself to see the affair; but, unfortunately, I cannot do
so. However, if you like to be present, I will give you three days'
leave, as you have been working very hard lately. You can start early
to-morrow, and can get down by train to Norfolk in the evening. I should
advise you to take your horse with you, and then you can ride in the
morning to some spot from which you will get a fair view of the Roads,
and be able to see what is going on."

"Thank you very much, sir," Vincent said. "I should like it immensely."

The next morning Vincent went down to Norfolk. Arriving there, he found
that, although there was a general expectation that the