d of the Union forces, it instantly
struck him that it must be his old comrade of the canal, for whom he
still cherished a strong attachment. He was in the rebel camp, but in
reality cared little which side was successful, and determined out of
old friendship to help Garfield if he could.

Concealing his design, he sought Marshall, and proposed to visit the
Union camp as a spy, mentioning his former intimacy with Garfield. Gen.
Marshall readily acceded to his plan, not suspecting that it was his
real purpose to tell Garfield all he knew about the rebel force. He
proceeded to give the colonel valuable information on this subject.

When he had finished, Garfield said, "I advise you to go back to
Marshall."

"Go back to him, colonel? Why, he would hang me to the first tree."

"Not if you tell him all about my strength and intended movements."

"But how kin I? I don't know a thing. I was brought into the camp
blindfolded."

"Still you can guess. Suppose you tell him that I shall march to-morrow
straight for his camp, and in ten days be upon him."

"You'd be a fool, colonel, to do that, and he 'trenched so strongly,
unless you had twenty thousand men."

"I haven't got that number. Guess again."

"Well, ten thousand."

"That will do for a guess. Now to-day I shall keep you locked up, and
to-morrow you can go back to Marshall."

At nightfall Brown went back to the rebel camp, and his report was made
in accordance with Garfield's suggestions.

The fact was, that deducting those sick and on garrison duty, Garfield's
little army amounted to but fourteen hundred in place of the ten
thousand reported to the rebel commander. This little army was set in
motion the next day. It was a toilsome and discouraging march, over
roads knee-deep in mire, and the troops necessarily made but slow
progress, being frequently obliged to halt. Some days they succeeded in
making but five or six miles. On the 6th of January, however, they
arrived within seven miles of Paintville. Here while Garfield was trying
to catch a few hours' sleep, in a wretched log hut, he was roused by
Jordan, the scout, who had just managed to reach the camp.

"Have you seen Craven?" asked Garfield eagerly.

"Yes; he can't be more'n two days behind me, nohow."

"God bless you, Jordan! You have done us great service," said Garfield,
warmly, feeling deeply relieved by this important news.

"Thank ye, colonel. That's more pay 'n I expected."

In the morning