ng on my uniform again, which he granted;
and, with the gold in my pocket, I purchased a full fit-out of the
quartermaster. The provost-marshal told me that I must report at
Richmond, which I promised to do; and, my dear boy, I hope I shall be
able to do so at no distant day, though it doesn't look much like it just
now. He gave me an apartment next to his office, for the night; where, of
course, he expected to find me in the morning. In the night, I got up,
and went into his office to transact a little business on my own account.

"After I saw you at the depot, my dear fellow, I couldn't forget your sad
look. You seemed to be as hopeless as a stray chicken in the wet grass,
and I was trying to think what I could do for you. I couldn't have gone
back to Harrison's Landing without you; it would have broken my heart.
And what could I have said to the general, when he asked for you? How
could I have made my peace with the officers of the regiment, if I had
gone back without you?"

"It was very kind of you, after the shabby manner in which I had treated
you," added Somers.

"That was the very reason why I was bound to help you out of the scrape,
if I could. I wanted to set myself right with you. I wanted to convince
you I wasn't the man you took me to be."

"You have convinced me in the fullest manner; and I owe you a debt of
gratitude which I shall never be able to pay."

"Steady, my boy; we are not out of the scrape."

"No matter whether we get out of the scrape or not, my feelings towards
you will be just the same."

"Thank you, Somers; I am satisfied."

"But where did you get the pass you gave the corporal of the guard at the
depot?" asked Somers.

"I found the provost-marshal's signature on certain papers, one of which
I filled out to suit myself. But there was a sentinel at the door of the
office, put there, I suppose, for my benefit; though I was sorry to
trouble the poor fellow to stand there on my account. My friend, the
provost, had done this little act in the most delicate way in the world.
He did not tell me that I was under guard; but I happened to find out
before I put my foot in the trap.

"In a word, not wishing to disturb the sentinel, I took the liberty of
leaving by the way of the window of my chamber, instead of the door.
Luckily there was a one-story shop next to the office; and with the aid
of a blanket from my bed, I dropped down upon it, without disturbing the
meditations of the sentinel