began to seek a strong position in the wood. Cannon were drawn up,
their mouths turned to the side on which the horsemen had appeared,
and the worn regiments assumed the attitude of defense. Dick's heart
throbbed with pride when he saw that they were as ready as ever to fight,
although they had suffered great losses and the bitterest of
disappointments.

"What I said I've got to say over again," said Pennington ruefully:
"the night's no time for fighting. It's heathenish in Stonewall Jackson
to follow us, and annoy us in such a way."

"Such a way! Such a way!" said Dick impatiently. "We've got to learn to
fight as he does. Good God, Frank, think of all the sacrifices we are
making to save our Union, the great republic! Think how the hateful old
monarchies will sneer and rejoice if we fall, and here in the East our
generals just throw our men away! They divide and scatter our armies in
such a manner that we simply ask to be beaten."

"Sh! sh!" said Warner, as he listened to the violent outbreak, so unusual
on the part of the reserved and self-contained lad. "Here come two
generals."

"Two too many," muttered Dick. A moment or two later he was ashamed of
himself, not because of what he had said, but because he had said it.
Then Warner seized him by the arm and pointed.

"A new general, bigger than all the rest, has come," he said, "and
although I've never seen him before I know with mathematical certainty
that it's General John Pope, commander-in-chief of the Army of Virginia."