the deep woods in which they lay, but the sound of the shots came clearly.

"A part of our army is to cross the fords of Stone River in the morning
by daylight or before," said Warner, "and we're to surprise the enemy and
rush him. I wonder if we'll do it."

"We will not," said Pennington with emphasis. "We may beat the enemy,
but we will not surprise him. We never do. Why should we surprise him?
He is here in his own country. If the whole Southern army were sound
asleep, a thousand of the natives would wake up their generals and tell
them that the Yankee army was advancing."

"Their sentinels are watching, anyhow," said Dick, "but I imagine that
we'd gain something if the first rush was ours and not theirs."

"We'll hope for the best," said Warner, "I wonder whose time this will
be to get wounded. It was mine at Antietam, yours, Dick, at Perryville,
and only you are left Pennington, so it's bound to be you."

"No, it won't be me," said Pennington stoutly. "I've been wounded in two
or three battles already, not bad wounds, just scratches and bruises,
but as there were so many of 'em you can lump 'em together, and make one
big wound. That lets me out."

The Winchester regiment lay in the very thickest of the forest and in
order not to indicate to the enemy their precise position no fires were
lighted. The earth was still soaked deep with the heavy rains and their
feet sank at every step. But they did not make many steps. They had
learned enough to lie quiet, seek what rest and sleep they could find,
and await the dawn.