f they had chosen to accept them. They did not so much as
hint that they had been offered something better than the company or
regiment could give them--a position on the general's staff--for they
did not think it would be policy to do it. There were plenty of mean men
in their regiment, as there were in every one in the service, and since
they could not get discharges themselves, they would have been glad if
they could have kept Rodney and Dick from getting them; and if they had
suspected that Rodney had a friend in the general of the brigade, they
would have reported him every chance they got, no matter whether he had
done anything wrong or not. After this the two friends waited with as
much patience as they could for the time to come around when they would
be free once more.

During this time almost constant fighting had been going on somewhere
along the line, and although Rodney and Dick could not see the use of
it, those in authority could, for they were quietly making preparations
to withdraw from a place which was no longer of use to them. On the
26th, 27th, and 28th of the month, the fighting was very severe, and
Rodney's regiment, which was at the front, was badly cut up. Although
Dick Graham was now a private he was called upon at times to do duty as
a sergeant, and on the afternoon of the 28th, he was sent with a small
squad, one of whom was Rodney Gray, to take charge of an advanced post.
It was much nearer our lines than were the trenches in which the
regiment was fighting, but it was also much safer, for the shells from
both sides went high over their heads. Here they remained in perfect
security, talking, laughing and telling stories while the roar of battle
was going on all around them, and waiting for their relief, which was to
come at six o'clock. It did not come, however, until after nine, and by
that time it had grown so dark that it was only after infinite trouble
and bother that they succeeded in finding their way back to the main
line, only to learn after they arrived there, that their regiment had
been withdrawn three hours before, and nobody could tell where it was
now. Dick Graham didn't care much where it was, for he had no intention
of going to it that night. It was more than three miles to camp, and
Dick saw, when he passed that way three days before, that the road was
blocked with wagons, artillery trains and stable-lines, and to these
obstructions were now added sleeping men, who would not