s. On my throwing down my pass signed by Gen. Banks, the
courteous keeper acknowledged his mistake, and invited me to take
something at his expense. Immediately after supper to which--it is
hardly necessary to say--I was accompanied by that confounded
haversack, I fairly loathed it by this time--I retired to my room,
locked the door and went to work. Excitement kept me up and by 2
o'clock everything was done. The money counted and placed in the
envelopes, and the blanks filled out, and the footing correctly
made. Then, only did I know how much I had carried with me and how
precious were the contents of my haversack. Barricading my door,
with the table, and wedging a chair in between it and the bed, I
thrust the haversack between the sheets, slid in after it, laid my
revolver by the pillow, and in an instant was sound asleep. The
next morning on going down to breakfast I innocently inquired of
the clerk in the office if he would give me a receipt for
valuables. 'Certainly,' was his smiling rejoinder. 'For how much?'
'Twenty-four thousand three hundred and forty-six dollars,' I
replied and half opening my haversack, showed him the bundles of
express envelopes, explaining that it was the pay of a regiment.
'Where did you keep this last night?' was the next question. 'In my
room.' 'You d---- fool, it might have been stolen.' 'True, but I
thought it would be safe enough and besides I did not know how much
I had.'

"Breakfast over I repaired at once to the office of the express
company and by noon, with my receipts in my pocket, I stepped
forth, feeling as if a gigantic load had rolled from my shoulders.

"Of my journey back there is no need to speak; suffice it to say
that two or three weeks thereafter, one night as the sun was
setting, I stood with beating heart on the levee, outside of
Simsport on the Red River, waiting for the coming of the regiment
on its march down from Alexandria. Column after column passed and
still I waited. But suddenly I caught the roll of drums and there
came a dimness over my eyes, for I recognized familiar forms. The
colonel riding at the head, the little drum major, the colors and
each well known face. As they came up I saluted, someone recognized
me, and called my name. Instantly the cry, 'Lieutenant Goodell has
come!' swept down the line, and with on