original station by the Chickahominy,
since to do so would be to pass again the abandoned field hospital. He
kept his face turned from the river and somewhat to the east, and
straggled on. A signpost told him that the dusty ribbon was the
Nine-Mile road. Presently, among the berry bushes, he came upon a grey
artilleryman sitting winding a strip of cloth around a wound in his leg.
The artilleryman gave him further information. "Magruder's moving this
way. I was ahead with my battery,--Griffith's brigade,--and some
stinking sharpshooters sitting with the buzzards in the trees let fly at
us! Result, I've got to hobble in at the end of the parade!--What's the
matter with you?"

"Captain," said Steve, "asked for a volunteer to swim the river (we're
on the other side) and find out 'bout the currents. I swam it, and Gawd!
jest then a Yankee battery opened and I couldn't get back! Regiment'll
be over after awhile I reckon."

The two sat down among the berry bushes. The road was visible, and upon
it a great approaching pillar of dust. "Head of our column," said the
artilleryman. "Four roads and four pursuing forces, and if we can only
all strike Mac at once there'll be a battle that'll lay over Friday's,
and if he gets to his gunboats at all it will be in a damaged condition.
Magruder's bearing toward Savage Station, and if Jackson's across the
Chickahominy we might do for Fitz John Porter--eh?"

"We might," agreed Steve. "I'll lie a little flatter, because the sun
and the wetting has made my head ache. They're fine troops."

The grey regiments went by, long swinging tread and jingling
accoutrements. A major-general, riding at the head of the column, had
the air of a Roman consul, round, strong, bullet head, which he had
bared to the breeze that was springing up, close-cropped black hair,
short black beard, high nose, bold eyes, a red in his cheeks. "That's
General Lafayette McLaws," volunteered the artilleryman. "That's General
Kershaw with him. It's Kershaw's brigade. See the palmetto on the
flags."

Kershaw's went by. Behind came another high and thick dust cloud. "Cobb
and Toombs and Barksdale and Kemper and Semmes," said the artilleryman.
"Suppose we canter on? I'll break a staff from those little heaven trees
there. We might get to see the show, after all. York River Railroad's
just over there."

They went on, first to the ailanthus bushes, then, leaving the road to
the troops, they struck across a ruined cornfield