"Things point that way. The general thinks so, too. It seems that Bragg
has moved his forces in the night, and that the portion of the enemy in
front of us is some distance off."

Dick soon confided this news to Warner and Pennington, who looked
discontented.

"If we've got to fight, I'd rather do it now and get it over," said
Pennington. "If I'm going to be killed the difference between morning
and afternoon won't matter, but if I'm not going to be killed it'll be
worth a lot to get this weight off my mind."

"And if we're far away from the enemy it's easy enough for us to go up
close to him," said Warner. "I take it that we're not here to keep out
of his way, and, if our brethren are pounding now, oughtn't we to go in
and help them pound? Remember how we divided our strength at Antietam."

Dick shrugged his shoulders. His feelings were too bitter for him to
make a reply save to say: "I don't know anything about it."

Meanwhile the distant combat roared and deepened. It was obvious that a
great battle was going on, but the division lay quiet obeying its orders.
The sun rose higher in the cold, steely blue heavens and then Dick,
who was watching a forest opposite them, uttered a loud cry. He had seen
many bayonets flashing among the leafless trees.

The cry was taken up by others who saw also, and suddenly a long Southern
line, less than half a mile away, emerged into the open and advanced upon
them in silence, but with resolution, a bristling and terrific front of
steel. After all their watching and waiting the Northern division had