coming in the
morning.

The North Carolina regiment rose sleepily and marched with him to the
bridge, where it was incorporated into the force of Evans. Beauregard,
Johnston and Early had gone to other points, and Harry knew that
they were still anxious and of divided opinions. Colonel Talbot and
Lieutenant-Colonel St. Hilaire, to whom he had to report, and who moved
their own regiment down near Evans, did not conceal the fact from him.

"Harry," said the colonel, "we're all sure that we'll have to fight on
the morrow, and it looks as if the battle would come in the greatest
weight here at the bridge, but the Invincibles must be prepared for
anything. You lads are fit and trim, and I hope that all of you will
do your duty tomorrow. Remember that we have brave foes before us, and
I know most of their officers. All who are of our age have been the
comrades of Lieutenant-Colonel St. Hilaire and myself."

"It is true, and it is a melancholy phase of this war," said Hector
St. Hilaire.

They walked away together and Harry rejoined those of his own age near
the banks of Bull Run. But Langdon and St. Clair were sound asleep on
their blankets, and so were all the rest of the Invincibles, save those
who had been posted as sentinels. But Harry did not sleep that night.
It was past midnight now, but he was never more awake in his life,
and he felt that he must watch until day.

He had no duties to do, and he sat down with his back to a tree and
waited. Far in his front, three or four miles, perhaps, he thought he
saw lights signaling to each other, but he had no idea what they meant,
and he watched them merely with an idle curiosity. Once he thought he
heard the distant call of a trumpet, but he was not sure. Woods and
fields were flooded with the brightness of moon and stars, but if
anything was passing on the other side of Bull Run, it was too well
hidden for him to see it. His senses were soothed and he sank into a
state of peace and rest. In reality it was a physical relaxation coming
after so much tension and activity, and the bodily ease became mental
also.

Resting thus, motionless against the trunk of the tree, time passed
easily for him. The warm air of the night blew now and then against his
face and only soothed him to deeper rest. The last light far across
Bull Run went out and the darker hours came. Nothing stirred now in the
woods until the hot dawn came again, and the brazen sun leaped up in th