l have a battle before night."

"Perhaps not," added Hapgood. "It takes the cat a good while to catch the
mouse, even after she smells the critter."

"Why don't we march? What are we stopping here for?" said Tom,
impatiently.

"They say Smith's division has got in ahead of us. Keep cool, Tom; never
be in a hurry for a battle. Some of us that stand here now won't be alive
in twenty-four hours from now; for I don't believe the rebs are going to
let us have it all our own way," said the veteran.

"Nor I," added Fred Pemberton. "I shall be killed in this fight."

"How do you know, Fred?" demanded Hapgood, sternly.

"Of course I don't know, but I feel it in my bones that I shall fall in
the first battle."

"Your bones ain't no guide at all. I know something about this business,
and I've seen croakers afore to-day. Don't talk about being killed, or
even hit. Be ready to die, do your duty like a soldier, and leave all the
rest to your Maker," said the veteran, solemnly.

"I don't have any such feeling as that. I know I shan't be killed,"
laughed Ben. "The bullet hasn't been cast yet that will stop my wind."

"Perhaps it has, my boy. It may be in some rebel soldier's cartridge box
over yonder, even now. I tell you, boys, you don't know any thing about
it. Just afore we went in at Cerry Gordy, a feller by my side said the
same thing you did, Ben; and he was the first man that went down. I tried
to pick him up, and do something for him, but he was stone dead. I tell
you, Ben, you don't know any thing about it. Leave it all to the
Almighty."

"Pooh, uncle!" sneered Ben, trying to laugh down the solemn words of the
old man. "Don't you think we'd better have a prayer meetin' before we go
in?"

"I think we should fight the better for it, for he who trusts in God don't
fear death."

But it was evident that the words of Hapgood, especially the incident of
Cerro Gordo, had made a deep impression upon the mind of the thoughtless
young man. Though the division did not move for three hours, he was very
silent and sober. He seemed to feel that he had been tempting Providence
by his bold speech, and even expressed his regret to Tom for what he had
said.

It was dark when the order to march was given. The night was exceedingly
gloomy, and the rain poured down upon the devoted army, as it moved
forward to do its great work. Hour after hour, in the deep darkness and
the pouring rain, the men struggled through the mire, expecting