CHAPTER II. THE FOOT CAVALRY
Captain Sherburne told Captain McGee that the invaders were coming,and there was a stir in the ranks of the defenders. The cavalrymen,disciplined and eager, said nothing, but merely moved a little in orderto see better along the road over which the enemy was advancing. Theoriginal defenders, who were infantry, talked in whispers, despitecommands, and exchanged doubts and apprehensions.
Harry walked up and down in front of the warehouse with CaptainSherburne, and both watched the road.
"If we only had a little artillery, just a light gun or two," saidSherburne, "we'd give 'em such a surprise that they'd never get overit."
"But we haven't got it."
"No, we haven't, but maybe rifles and carbines will serve."
The hoofbeats were fast growing louder, and Harry knew that the head ofthe Northern column would appear in a minute or two. Every light in thewarehouse or about it and all in the village had been extinguished, butthe moonlight was clear and more stars had come into the full sky.
"We can see well enough for a fight," murmured Captain Sherburne.
Everybody could hear the hoofbeats now, and again there was a stir inthe ranks of the defenders. The dark line appeared in the road three orfour hundred yards away and then, as the horsemen emerged into the open,they deployed rapidly by companies. They, too, were trained men, andkeen eyes among their officers caught sight of the armed dark linebefore the warehouse. The voice of the trumpet suddenly pealed forthagain, and now it was loud and menacing.
"It's the charge!" cried Sherburne, "and I can see that they're all yousaid, Kenton! A magnificent body, truly! Ready, men! Ready! For God'ssake don't fire too soon! Wait for the word! Wait for the word!"
He was all the leader now, and in the excitement of the moment McGee didnot notice it. The superior mind, the one keen to see and to act, was incontrol.
"Here, Kenton!" cried Sherburne, "hold back these recruits! My own menwill do exactly as I say!"
Harry ran along the infantry line, and here and there he knocked downrifles which were raised already, although the enemy was yet threehundred yards away. But he saw a figure in front of the charginghorsemen wave a sword. Then the trumpet blew another call, short butfierce and menacing, and the ground thundered as nearly a thousandhorsemen swept forward, uttering a tremendous shout, their sabersflashing in the moonlight.
Harry felt a moment of admiration and then another moment of pity.These men, charging so grandly, did not know that the defenders had beenreinforced. Nor did they know that they rode straight to what was swiftand sudden death for many of them.
It was hard to stand steady and not pull the trigger, while that line offlashing steel galloped upon them, but the dismounted cavalrymen lookedto their leader for commands, and the officer held the infantry. Harry'smoment of admiration and pity passed. These were soldiers coming todefeat and destroy, and it was his business to help prevent it. His ownpulse of battle began to beat hard.
That front of steel, spread wide across the open, was within two hundredyards now! Then a hundred and fifty! Then a hundred! Then less, andfierce and sharp like the crack of a rifle came Captain Sherburne'scommand: "Fire!"
Four hundred rifles leaped to the shoulder and four hundred fingerspressed trigger so close together that four hundred rifles sang togetheras one. The charge halted in its tracks. The entire front rank was shotaway. Horses and men went down together, and the horses uttered neighsof pain, far more terrific than the groans of the wounded men. Many ofthem, riderless, galloped up and down between the lines.
But the splendid horsemen behind came on again, after the momentarystop. Half of them armed with short carbines sent a volley at thedefenders, who were shoving in cartridges in frantic haste, and theswordsmen galloped straight upon the Virginians.
Harry saw a great saber flashing directly in his face. It was wieldedby a man on a powerful horse that seemed wild with the battle fever. Thehorse, at the moment, was more terrible than his rider. His mouth wasdripping with foam, and his lips were curled back from his cruel, whiteteeth. His eyes, large and shot with blood, were like those of somehuge, carnivorous animal.
The boy recoiled, more in fear of the horse than of the saber, andsnatching a heavy pistol from his belt, fired directly at the greatfoam-flecked head. The horse crashed down, but his rider sprang clearand retreated into the smoke. Almost at the same instant the defendershad fired the second volley, and the charge was beaten back from theirvery faces.
The Southerners at the war's opening had the advantage of an almostuniversal familiarity with the rifle, and now they used it well.Sherburne's two hundred men, always cool and steady, fired like trainedmarksmen, and the others did almost as well. Most of them had newrifles, using cartridges, and no cavalry on earth could stand beforesuch a fire.
Harry again saw the flashing sabers more than once, and there was avast turmoil of fire and smoke in front of him, but in a few minutes thetrumpet sounded again, loud and clear over the crash of battle, and nowit was calling to the men to come back.
The two forces broke apart. The horsemen, save for the wounded and dead,retreated to the forest, and the defenders, victorious for the present,fired no more, while the wounded, who could, crawled away to shelter.They reloaded their rifles and at first there was no exultation. Theybarely had time to think of anything. The impact had been so terribleand there had been such a blaze of firing that they were yet in a daze,and scarcely realized what had happened.
"Down, men! Down!" cried Captain Sherburne, as he ran along the line."They'll open fire from the wood!"
All the defenders threw themselves upon the ground and lay there, muchless exposed and also concealed partly. One edge of the wood ran withintwo hundred yards of the warehouse, and presently the Northern soldiers,hidden behind the trees at that point, opened a heavy rifle fire.Bullets whistled over the heads of the defenders, and kept up a constantpatter upon the walls of the warehouse, but did little damage.
A few of the men in gray had been killed, and all the wounded were takeninside the warehouse, into which the great tobacco barn had been turned.Two competent surgeons attended to them by the light of candles, whilethe garrison outside lay still and waiting under the heavy fire.
"A waste of lead," said Sherburne to Harry. "They reckon, perhaps, thatwe're all recruits, and will be frightened into retreat or surrender."
"If we had those guns now we could clear out the woods in short order,"said Harry.
"And if they had 'em they could soon blow up this barn, everything in itand a lot of us at the same time. So we are more than even on the matterof the lack of guns."
The fire from the wood died in about fifteen minutes and was succeededby a long and trying silence. The light of the moon deepened, andsilvered the faces of the dead lying in the open. All the survivors ofthe attack were hidden, but the defenders knew that they were yet in theforest.
"Kenton," said Captain Sherburne, "you know the way to General Jackson'scamp at Winchester."
"I've been over it a dozen times."
"Then you must mount and ride. This force is sitting down before us fora siege, and it probably has pickets about the village, but you mustget through somehow. Bring help! The Yankees are likely to send back forhelp, too, but we've got to win here."
"I'm off in five minutes," said Harry, "and I'll come with a brigade bydawn."
"I believe you will," said Sherburne. "But get to Old Jack! Get there!If you can only reach him, we're saved! He may not have any horsemen athand, but his foot cavalry can march nearly as fast! Lord, how StonewallJackson can cover ground!"
Their hands met in the hearty grasp of a friendship which was alreadyold and firm, and Harry, without looking back, slipped into the wood,where the men from the village were watching over the horses. Sherburnehad told him to take any horse he needed, but he chose his own,convinced that he had no equal, slipped into the saddle, and rode to theedge of the wood.
"There's a creek just back of us; you can s
ee the water shining throughthe break in the trees," said a man who kept the village store. "Thetimber's pretty thick along it, and you'd best keep in its shelter.Here, you Tom, show him the way."
A boy of fourteen stepped up to the horse's head.
"My son," said the storekeeper. "He knows every inch of the ground."
But Harry waved him back.
"No," he said. "I'll be shot at, and the boy on foot can't escape. I'llfind my way through. No, I tell you he must not go!"
He almost pushed back the boy who was eager for the task, rode outof the wood which was on the slope of the hill away from the point ofattack, and gained the fringe of timber along the creek. It was aboutfifty yards from cover to cover, but he believed he had not been seen,as neither shout nor shot followed him.
Yet the Union pickets could not be far away. He had seen enough to knowthat the besiegers were disciplined men led by able officers and theywould certainly make a cordon about the whole Southern position.
He rode his horse into a dense clump of trees and paused to listen.He heard nothing but the faint murmur of the creek, and the occasionalrustle of dry branches as puffs of wind passed. He dismounted for thesake of caution and silence as far as possible, and led his horse downthe fringe of trees, always keeping well under cover.
Another hundred yards and he stopped again to listen. All those oldinherited instincts and senses leaped into life. He was, for the moment,the pioneer lad, seeking to detect the ambush of his foe. Now, his acuteears caught the hostile sound. It was low, merely the footsteps of aman, steadily walking back and forth.
Harry peeped from his covert and saw a Union sentinel not far away,pacing his beat, rifle on shoulder, the point of the bayonet tipped withsilver flame from the moon. And he saw further on another sentinel, andthen another, all silent and watchful. He knew that the circle about thedefense was complete.
He could have escaped easily through the line, had he been willing toleave his horse, and for a few moments he was sorely tempted to do so,but he recalled that time was more precious than jewels. If he ever gotbeyond the line of pickets he must go and go fast.
He was three or four hundred yards from the village and no one hadyet observed him, but he did not believe that he could go much fartherundetected. Some one was bound to hear the heavy footsteps of the horse.
The creek shallowed presently and the banks became very low. Then Harrydecided suddenly upon his course. He would put everything to the touchand win or lose in one wild dash. Springing upon the back of his horse,he raked him with the spur and put him straight at the creek. Thestartled animal was across in two jumps, and then Harry sent him racingacross the fields. He heard two or three shouts and several shots, butfortunately none touched him or his mount, and, not looking back, hecontinually urged the horse to greater speed.
Bending low he heard the distant sound of hoofbeats behind him, but theysoon died away. Then he entered a belt of forest, and when he passedout on the other side no pursuit could be seen. But he did not slackenspeed. He knew that all Sherburne had said about Stonewall Jackson wastrue. He would forgive no dallying by the way. He demanded of every manhis uttermost.
He turned from the unfenced field into the road, and rode at a fullgallop toward Winchester. The cold wind swept past and his spirits rosehigh. Every pulse was beating with exultation. It was he who had broughtthe warning to the defenders of the stores. It was he who had broughtSherburne's troop to help beat off the attack, and now it was he who,bursting through the ring of steel, was riding to Jackson and surerelief.
His horse seemed to share his triumph. He ran on and on without a swerveor jar. Once he stretched out his long head, and uttered a shrill neigh.The sound died in far echoes, and then followed only the rapid beat ofhis hoofs on the hard road.
Harry knew that there was no longer any danger to him from the enemy,and he resolved now not to go to his own colonel, but to ride straightto the tent of Jackson himself.
The night had never grown dark. Moon and stars still shed an abundantlight for the flying horseman, and presently he caught fleeting glimpsesthrough the trees of roofs that belonged to Winchester. Then two menin gray spring into the road, and, leveling their rifles, gave him thecommand to stop.
"I'm Lieutenant Kenton of the Invincibles," he cried, "and I come forhelp. A strong force of the Yankees is besieging Hertford, and fourhundred of our men are defending it. There is no time to waste! Theymust have help there before dawn, or everything is lost! Which way isGeneral Jackson's tent?"
"In that field on the hillock!" replied one of the men, pointing two orthree hundred yards away.
Harry raced toward the tent, which rose in modest size out of thedarkness, and sprang to the ground, when his horse reached it. A singlesentinel, rifle across his arms, was standing before it, but the flapwas thrown back and a light was burning inside.
"I'm a messenger for General Jackson!" cried Harry. "I've news thatcan't wait!"
The sentinel hesitated a moment, but a figure within stepped to the doorof the tent and Harry for the first time was face to face with StonewallJackson. He had seen him often near or far, but now he stood before him,and was to speak with him.
Jackson was dressed fully and the fine wrinkles of thought showed on hisbrow, as if he had intended to study and plan the night through. He wasa tallish man, with good features cut clearly, high brow, shortbrown beard and ruddy complexion. His uniform was quite plain and hisappearance was not imposing, but his eyes of deep blue regarded the boykeenly.
"I'm Lieutenant Kenton, sir, of Colonel Talbot's Invincibles," repliedHarry to the question which was not spoken, but which nevertheless wasasked. "Our arsenal at Hertford is besieged by a strong force of theenemy, a force that is likely to be increased heavily by dawn. LuckilyCaptain Sherburne and his troop of valley Virginians came up in time tohelp, and I have slipped through the besieging lines to bring more aid."
Harry had touched his cap as he spoke and now he stood in silence whilethe blue eyes looked him through.
"I know you. I've observed you," said Jackson in calm, even tones,showing not a trace of excitement. "I did not think that the Federaltroops would make a movement so soon, but we will meet it. A brigadewill march in half an hour."
"Don't I go with it?" exclaimed Harry pleadingly. "You know, I broughtthe news, sir!"
"You do. Your regiment will form part of the brigade. Rejoin ColonelTalbot at once. The Invincibles, with you as guide, shall lead the way.You have done well, Lieutenant Kenton."
Harry flushed with pride at the brief words of praise, which meant somuch coming from Stonewall Jackson, and saluting again hurried to hisimmediate command. Already the messengers were flying to the differentregiments, bidding them to be up and march at once.
The Invincibles were upon their feet in fifteen minutes, fully clothedand armed, and ready for the road. The cavalry were not available thatnight, and the brigade would march on foot save for the officers. Harrywas back on his horse, and St. Clair and Langdon were beside him. Thecolonels, Talbot and St. Hilaire, sat on their horses at the head of theInvincibles, the first regiment.
"What is it?" said Langdon to Harry. "Have you brought this night marchupon us?"
"I have, and we're going to strike the Yankees before dawn at Hertford,"replied Harry to both questions.
"I like the nights for rest," said Langdon, "but it could be worse; I'vehad four hours' sleep anyway."
"You'll have no more this night, that's certain," said St. Clair. "Look,General Jackson, himself, is going with us. See him climbing upon LittleSorrel! Lord pity the foot cavalry!"
General Jackson, mounted upon the sorrel horse destined to become sofamous, rode to the head of the brigade, which was now in ranks, andbeckoned to Harry.
"I've decided to attend to this affair myself, Lieutenant Kenton,"he said. "Keep by my side. You know the way. Be sure that you lead usright."
His voice was not raised, but his words had an edge of steel. The coldblue eyes swept him with a sing
le chilly glance and Harry felt the fearof God in his soul. Lead them right? His faculties could not fail withStonewall Jackson by his side.
The general himself gave the word, the brigade swung into the broadroad and it marched. It did not dawdle along. It marched, and it marchedfast. It actually seemed to Harry after the first mile that it wasrunning, running toward the enemy.
Not in vain had the infantry of Stonewall Jackson been called footcavalry. Harry now for the first time saw men really march. The roadspun behind them and the forest swept by. They were nearly all open-airVirginians, long of limb, deep of chest and great of muscle. There wasno time for whispering among them, and the exchange of guesses abouttheir destination. They needed every particle of air in their lungs forthe terrible man who made them march as men had seldom marched before.
Jackson cast a grim eye on the long files that sank away in the darknessbehind him.
"They march very well," he said, "but they will do better with morepractice. Ride to the rear, Lieutenant Kenton, and see if there are anystragglers. If you find any order them back into line and if they refuseto obey, shoot."
Again his voice was not raised, but an electric current of fiery energyseemed to leap from this grave, somber man and to infuse itself throughthe veins of the lad to whom he gave the orders.
Harry saluted and, wheeling his horse, rode swiftly along the edge ofthe forest toward the rear. Now, the spirit of indomitable youth brokeforth. Many in the columns were as young as he and some younger. Inthe earlier years of the war, and indeed, to the very close, there waslittle outward respect for rank among the citizen soldiers of eitherarmy. Harry was saluted with a running fire of chaff.
"Turn your horse's head, young feller, the enemy ain't that way. He's infront."
"He's forgot his toothbrush, Bill, and he's going back in a hurry to getit."
"If I had a horse like that I'd ride him in the right direction."
"Tell 'em in Winchester that the foot cavalry are marchin' a hundredmiles an hour."
Harry did not resent these comments. He merely flung back an occasionalcomment of his own and hurried on until he reached the rear. Then in thedusk of the road he found four or five men limping along, and ready whenconvenient to drop away in the darkness. Harry wasted no time. The firein his blood that had come from Jackson was still burning. He snatched apistol from his belt and, riding directly at them, cried:
"Forward and into the ranks at once, or I shoot!"
"But we are lame, sir!" cried one of the men. "See my foot is bleeding!"
He held up one foot and red drops were falling from the ragged shoe.
"It makes no difference," cried Harry. "Barefooted men should be gladto march for Stonewall Jackson! One, two, three! Hurry, all of you, or Ishoot!"
The men took one look at the flaming face, and broke into a run for therear guard. Harry saw them in the ranks and then beat up the woods oneither side of the road, but saw no more stragglers or deserters. Thenhe galloped through the edge of the forest and rejoined the general atthe head of the command.
"Were they all marching?" asked Jackson.
"All but four, sir."
"And the four?"
"They're marching now, too."
"Good. How far are we from the arsenal?"
"About eight miles, sir."
"Isn't it nearer nine?"
"I should say nearer eight, sir."
"You should know, and at any rate we'll soon see."
Jackson did not speak to him again directly, evidently keeping him athis side now for sure guidance, but he continually sent other aidesalong the long lines to urge more speed. The men were panting, and,despite the cold of the winter night, beads of perspiration stood onevery face. But Jackson was pitiless. He continually spurred them on,and now Harry knew with the certainty of fate that he would get there intime. He would reach Hertford before fresh Union troops could come. Hewas as infallible as fate.
There was no breath left for whispering in the ranks of Jackson's men.Nothing was heard but the steady beat of marching feet, and now andthen, the low command of an officer. But such commands were few. Therewere no more stragglers, and the chief himself rode at their head. Theyknew how to follow.
The moon faded and many of the stars went back into infinite space. Adusky film was drawn across the sky, and at a distance the fields andforest blended into one great shadow. Harry looked back at the brigadewhich wound in a long dark coil among the trees. He could not see facesof the men now, only the sinuous black shape of illimitable length thattheir solid lines made.
This long black shape moved fast, and occasionally it gave forth asinister glitter, as stray moonbeams fell upon blade or bayonet. Itseemed to Harry that there was something deadly and inevitable about it,and he began to feel sorry for the Union troops who were besieging thevillage and who did not know that Stonewall Jackson was coming.
He cast a sidelong glance at the leader. He rode, leaning a littlefurther forward in the saddle than usual, and the wintry blue eyes gazedsteadily before him. Harry knew that they missed nothing.
"You are sure that we are on the right road, Mr. Kenton?" said Jackson.
"Quite sure of it, sir."
The general did not speak again for some time. Then, when he caught thefaint glimmer of water through the dark, he said:
"This is the creek, is it not?"
"Yes, sir, and the Yankees can't be more than a mile away."
"And it's a full hour until dawn. The reinforcements for the enemycannot have come up. Lieutenant Kenton, I wish you to stay with me. Iwill have a messenger tell Colonel Talbot that for the present you aredetached for my service."
"Thank you, sir," said Harry.
"Why?"
"I wish to see how you crumple up the enemy."
The cold blue eyes gleamed for a moment. Harry more than guessed thedepths of passion and resolve that lay behind the impenetrable maskof Jackson's face. He felt again the rays of the white, hot fire thatburned in the great Virginian's soul.
A few hundred yards further and the brigade began to spread out in thedusk. Companies filed off to right and left, and in a few minutes cameshots from the pickets, sounding wonderfully clear and sharp in thestillness of the night. Red dots from the rifle muzzles appearedhere and there in the woods, and then Harry caught the glint of latestarshine on the eaves of the warehouse.
Jackson drew his horse a little to one side of the road, and Harry,obedient to orders, followed him. A regiment massed directly behind themdrew up close. Harry saw that it was his own Invincibles. There wereColonel Leonidas Talbot and Lieutenant-Colonel Hector St. Hilaire onhorseback, looking very proud and eager. Further away were Langdon andSt. Clair also mounted, but Harry could not see the expression on theirfaces.
"Tell Colonel Talbot to have the charge sounded and then to attack withall his might," said Jackson to his young aide.
Harry carried the order eagerly and rejoined the general at once. Thedrums of the Invincibles beat the charge, and on both sides of them thedrums of other regiments played the same tune. Then the drum-beat waslost in that wild and thrilling shout, the rebel yell, more terriblethan the war-whoop of the Indians, and the whole brigade rushed forwardin a vast half-circle that enclosed the village between the two horns ofthe curve.
The scattered firing of the pickets was lost in the great shout of theSouth, and, by the time the Northern sentinels could give the alarm totheir main body, the rush of Jackson's men was upon them, clearing outthe woods and fields in a few instants and driving the Union horsemen inswift flight northward.
Harry kept close to his general. He saw a spark of fire shoot from theblue eye, and the nostrils expand. Then the mask became as impenetrableas ever. He let the reins fall on the neck of Little Sorrel, and watchedhis men as they swept into the open, passed the warehouse, and followedthe enemy into the forest beyond.
But the bugles quickly sounded the recall. It was not Jackson's purposeto waste his men in frays which could produce little. The p
ursuingregiments returned reluctantly to the open where the inhabitants of thevillage were welcoming Jackson with great rejoicings. The encounter hadbeen too swift and short to cause great loss, but all the stores weresaved and Captain Sherburne and Captain McGee rode forward to salutetheir commander.
"You made a good defense," said Stonewall Jackson, crisply and briefly."We begin the removal of the stores at once. Wagons will come up shortlyfor that purpose. Take your cavalry, Captain Sherburne, and scout thecountry. If they need sleep they can get it later when there is nothingelse to do."
Captain Sherburne saluted and Harry saw his face flush with pride. Theindomitable spirit of Jackson was communicated fast to all his men. Thesentence to more work appealed to Sherburne with much greater force thanthe sentence of rest could have done. In a moment he and his men wereoff, searching the woods and fields in the direction of the Union camp.
"Ride back on the road, Lieutenant Kenton, and tell the wagons tohurry," said General Jackson to Harry. "Before I left Winchester I gaveorders for them to follow, and we must not waste time here."
"Yes, sir," said Harry, as he turned and rode into the forest throughwhich they had come. He, too, felt the same emotion that had made theface of Sherburne flush with pride. What were sleep and rest to a youngsoldier, following a man who carried victory in the hollow of his hand;not the victory of luck or chance, but the victory of forethought, ofminute preparation, and of courage.
He galloped fast, and the hard road gave back the ring of steel shodhoofs. A silver streak showed in the eastern sky. The dawn was breaking.He increased his pace. The woods and fields fled by. Then he heard thecracking of whips, and the sound of voices urging on reluctant animals.Another minute and the long line of wagons was in sight straining alongthe road.
"Hurry up!" cried Harry to the leader who drove, bareheaded.
"Has Old Jack finished the job?" asked the man.
"Yes."
"How long did it take him?"
"About five minutes."
"I win," called the man to the second driver just behind him. "You'lowed it would take him ten minutes, but I said not more'n seven at thevery furthest."
The train broke into a trot, and Harry, turning his horse, rode by theside of the leader.
"How did you know that it would take General Jackson so little time toscatter the enemy?" the boy asked the man.
"'Cause I know Old Jack."
"But he has not yet done much in independent command."
"No, but I've seen him gettin' ready, an' I've watched him. He seeseverything, an' he prays. I tell you he prays. I ain't a prayin' manmyself. But when a man kneels down in the bushes an' talks humble an'respectful to his God, an' then rises up an' jumps at the enemy, it'stime for that enemy to run. I'd rather be attacked by the worst bullyand desperado that ever lived than by a prayin' man. You see, I want tolive, an' what chance have I got ag'in a man that's not only not afraidto die, but that's willin' to die, an' rather glad to die, knowin' thathe's goin' straight to Heaven an' eternal joy? I tell you, young man,that unbelievers ain't ever got any chance against believers; no, not innothin'."
"I believe you're right."
"Right! Of course I'm right! Why did Old Jack order these waggins tocome along an' get them stores? 'Cause he believed he was goin' to save'em. An' mebbe he saved 'em, 'cause he believed he was goin' to do it.It works both ways. Git up!"
The shout of "Git up!" was to his horses, which added a little more totheir pace, and now Harry saw troops coming back to meet them and forman escort.
In half an hour they were at the village. Already the ammunition andsupplies had been brought forth and were stacked, ready to be loaded onthe wagons. General Jackson was everywhere, riding back and forth on hissorrel horse, directing the removal just as he had directed the marchand the brief combat. His words were brief but always dynamic. He seemedinsensible to weariness.
It was now full morning, wintry and clear. The small population of thevillage and people from the surrounding country, intensely Southern andsurcharged with enthusiasm, were bringing hot coffee and hot breakfastfor the troops. Jackson permitted them to eat and drink in relays.As many as could get at the task helped to load the wagons. Littlecompulsion was needed. Officers themselves toiled at boxes and casks.The spirit of Jackson had flowed into them all.
"I've gone into training," said Langdon to Harry.
"Training? What kind of training, Tom?"
"I see that my days of play are over forever, and I'm practicing hard,so I can learn how to do without food, sleep or rest for months at atime."
"It's well you're training," interrupted St. Clair. "I foresee thatyou're going to need all the practice you can get. Everything's loadedin the wagons now, and I wager you my chances of promotion against oneof our new Confederate dollar bills that we start inside of a minute."
The word "minute" was scarcely out of his mouth, when Jackson gave thesharp order to march. Sherburne's troop sprang to saddle and led theway, their bugler blowing a mellow salute to the morning and victory.Many whips cracked, and the wagons bearing the precious stores swunginto line. Behind came the brigade, the foot cavalry. The breakfast andthe loading of the wagons had not occupied more than half an hour. Itwas yet early morning when the whole force left the village and marchedat a swift pace toward Winchester.
General Jackson beckoned to Harry.
"Ride with me," he said. "I've notified Colonel Talbot that you aredetached from his staff and will serve on mine."
Although loath to leave his comrades Harry appreciated the favor andflushed with pleasure.
"Thank you, sir," he said briefly.
Jackson nodded. He seemed to like the lack of effusive words. Harry knewthat his general had not tasted food. Neither had he. He had actuallyforgotten it in his keenness for his work, and now he was proud of thefact. He was proud, too, of the comradeship of abstention that it gavehim with Stonewall Jackson. As he rode in silence by the side of thegreat commander he made for himself an ideal. He would strive in hisown youthful way to show the zeal, the courage and the untiring devotionthat marked the general.
The sun, wintry but golden, rose higher and made fields and forestluminous. But few among Jackson's men had time to notice the glory ofthe morning. It seemed to Harry that they were marching back almost asswiftly as they had come. Langdon was right and more. They were gettingcontinuous practice not only in the art of living without food, sleep orrest, but also of going everywhere on a run instead of a walk. Those whosurvived it would be incomparable soldiers.
Winchester appeared and the people came forth rejoicing. Jackson gaveorders for the disposition of the stores and then rode at once to atent. He signalled to Harry also to dismount and enter. An orderly tookthe horses of both.
"Sit down at the table there," said Jackson. "I want to dictate to yousome orders."
Harry sat down. He had forgotten to take off his cap and gloves, but heremoved one gauntlet now, and picked up a pen which lay beside a littleinkstand, a pad of coarse paper on the other side.
Jackson himself had not removed hat or gauntlets either, and the heavycavalry cloak that he had worn on the ride remained flung over hisshoulders. He dictated a brief order to his brigadiers, Loring, EdwardJohnson, Garnett, the commander of the Stonewall Brigade, and Ashby, wholed the cavalry, to prepare for a campaign and to see that everythingwas ready for a march in the morning.
Harry made copies of all the orders and sealed them.
"Deliver every one to the man to whom it is addressed," said Jackson,"and then report to me. But be sure that you say nothing of theircontents to anybody."
The boy, still burning with zeal, hurried forth with the orders,delivered them all, and came back to the tent, where he found thegeneral dictating to another aide. Jackson glanced at him and Harry,saluting, said:
"I have given all the orders, sir, to those for whom they wereintended."
"Very well," said Jackson. "Wait and I shall have more messages for youto carry."
r /> He turned to the second aide, but seeming to remember something, lookedat his watch.
"Have you had any breakfast, Mr. Kenton?" he said.
"No, sir."
"Any sleep?"
"Yes, sir."
"When?"
"I slept well, sir, night before last."
Harry's reply was given in all seriousness. Jackson smiled. The boy'sreply and his grave manner pleased him.
"I won't give you any more orders just now," he said. "Go out and getsomething to eat, but do not be gone longer than half an hour. You needsleep, too--but that can wait."
"I shall be glad to carry your orders, sir, now. The food can wait, too.I am not hungry."
Harry spoke respectfully. There was in truth an appealing note in hisvoice. Jackson gave him another and most searching glance.
"I think I chose well when I chose you," he said. "But go, get yourbreakfast. It is not necessary to starve to death now. We may have achance at that later."
The faintest twinkle of grim humor appeared in his eyes and Harry,withdrawing, hastened at once to the Invincibles, where he knew he wouldhave food and welcome in plenty.
St. Clair and Langdon greeted him with warmth and tried to learn fromhim what was on foot.
"There's a great bustle," said Langdon, "and I know something big isahead. This is the last day of the Old Year, and I know that the NewYear is going to open badly. I'll bet you anything that before to-morrowmorning is an hour old this whole army will be running hot-foot over thecountry, more afraid of Stonewall Jackson than of fifty thousand of theenemy."
"But you've been in training for it," said Harry with a laugh.
"So I have, but I don't want to train too hard."
Harry ate and drank and was back at General Jackson's tent in twentyminutes. He had received a half hour but he was learning already to dobetter than was expected of him.