hasten his steps, but no tidings came back.

"I fear it is all up with Butler," he said, despondently. "I cannot get
word of him, and the enemy is fast closing in on his path."

"Let me try to reach him," said Captain Blackford, to whom the general
had spoken.

After a moment's hesitation Stuart replied,--

"All right! If we don't meet again, good-by, old fellow! You run a
desperate chance of being raked in."

Away went Blackford at full speed, passing the lagging couriers one by
one, and at length reaching Butler, whom he found halted and facing the
enemy, in complete ignorance of what was going on at the front. He had
his own and a North Carolina regiment and one gun.

"We are crossing the ford, and Stuart orders you up at once," shouted
Blackford. "Withdraw at a gallop or you will be cut off."

"Very good," said Butler, coolly. "But how about that gun? I fear the
horses can't get it off in time."

"Let the gun go. Save yourself and your men."

Butler did not see it in that light. Whip and spur were applied to the
weary artillery horses, and away they went down the road, whirling the
gun behind them, and followed at a gallop by Butler and his men. As they
turned towards the ford they were saluted by the fire of a Federal
battery. Further on the distant fire of infantry from down the river
reached them with spent balls. Ten minutes later and the rear-guard
would have been lost. As it was, a wild dash was made across the stream
and soon the last man stood on Virginia soil. The expedition was at an
end, and the gallant band was on its native heath once more.

Thus ended Stuart's famous two days' ride. The first crossing of the
Potomac had been on the morning of the 10th. The final crossing was on
the morning of the 12th. Within twenty-seven hours he had ridden eighty
miles, from Chambersburg to White's Ford, with his artillery and
captured horses, and had crossed the Potomac under the eyes of much
superior numbers, his only losses being the wounding of one man and the
capture of two who had dropped out of the line of march--a remarkable
record of success, considering the great peril of the expedition.

The gains of the enterprise were about twelve hundred horses, but the
great strain of the ride forced the men to abandon many of their own.
Stuart lost two of his most valued animals--Suffolk and Lady
Margrave--through the carelessness of his servant Bob, who, overcome by
too free indulgence in ardent spirits,