. They heard him in the
woods, felt him in the air, saw him in the darkness--like a gigantic coil
he approached inch by inch for the last struggle. Now and then a shot rang
out, and the little band thrilled to a soldier, and waited breathlessly for
the last charge that might end it all.

"There's only one thing worse than starvation, and it's defeat!" cried Dan
aloud; then the column swung on and the cry of "Close up, there! close up!"
mingled in his ears with the steady tramp upon the road.

In the early morning the shots grew faster, and as the column stopped in
the cover of a wood, the bullets came singing among the tree-tops, from the
left flank where the skirmishers had struck the enemy. During the short
rest Dan slept leaning against a twisted aspen, and when Pinetop shook him,
he awoke with a dizziness in his head that sent the flat earth slamming
against the sky.

"I believe I'm starving, Pinetop," he said, and his voice rang like a bell
in his ears. "I can't see where to put my feet, the ground slips about so."

For answer Pinetop felt in his pocket and brought out a slice of fat bacon,
which he gave to him uncooked.

"Wait till I git a light," he commanded. "A woman up the road gave me a
hunk, and I've had my share."

"You've had your share," repeated Dan, greedily, his eyes on the meat,
though he knew that Pinetop was lying.

The mountaineer struck a match and lighted a bit of pine, holding the bacon
to the flame until it scorched.

"You'd better git it all in yo' mouth quick," he advised, "for if the smell
once starts on the breeze the whole brigade will be on the scent in a
minute."

Dan ate it to the last morsel and licked the warm juice from his fingers.

"You lied, Pinetop," he said, "but, by God, you saved my life. What place
is this, I wonder. Isn't there any hope of our cutting through Grant's
lines to-day?"

Pinetop glanced about him.

"Somebody said we were comin' on to Sailor's Creek," he answered, "and it's
about as God-forsaken country as I care to see. Hello! what's that?"

In the road there was an abandoned battery, cut down and left to rot into
the earth, and as they swept past it at "double quick," they heard the
sound of rapid firing across the little stream.

"It's a fight, thank God!" yelled Pinetop, and at the words a tumultuous
joy urged Dan through the water and over the sharp stones. After all the
hunger and the intolerable waiting, a chance was come for him to use his