"I've got two good blankets," said Pennington, who was returning from a
trip further down the line, "and I'm going to sleep. Haven't you fellows
learned that all your foolish talking before a battle never changes the
result? I can tell you this. Our three divisions that are marching
toward Murfreesborough are in touch. We've put out swarms of scouts and
they all tell us so. They know exactly where the enemy is, too, and he's
too far away to surprise us to-night. So it's sleep, my boys, sleep.
Sleep will recover for you so much strength that it will be much harder
for you to get killed on the morrow."

Dick had dried himself very thoroughly before one of the fires, and
wrapping himself in his two blankets he slept soundly and heavily.
There was fog again the next morning, but they reached a little village
called Triune and all through the day they heard the sounds of scattered
firing. One of the scouts told Colonel Winchester that the whole
Southern army would be concentrated the next day on the line of Stone
River, but that it would be inferior to the Union army in numbers by ten
thousand men. Bragg's force, however, had the advantage of experience,
being composed almost wholly of veterans.

It was on the afternoon of this day that Dick came into personal contact
with General Thomas again. He had been sent through the cedar forest
with dispatches to him from General McCook, and after the general had
read them he glanced at the messenger.

"You reached General Buell safely with my letter, Lieutenant Mason,"
he said, "and I'm very glad to see you here with us again."

"Thank you, sir," said Dick, feeling an immense pride because this man,
whom he admired so much, remembered him.