ged with no omens of victory.

But in spite of everything the spirits of the young troops began to
rise. They took a pride in this defiance of nature as well as man. They
could endure cold and hunger and weariness as they would endure battle,
when it came. They went on thus three days, almost without food and
shelter. Higher among the hills the snow sometimes beat upon them in a
hurricane, and at night the winds howled as if they had come down fresh
from the Arctic.

The spirits of the young troops, after rising, fell again, and their
feet dragged. Jackson, always watching, noticed it. Beckoning to several
of his staff, including Harry, he rode back along the lines, giving a
word of praise here and two words of rebuke there. They came at last
to an entire brigade, halted by the roadside, some of the men leaning
against an old rail fence.

Jackson looked at the men and his face darkened. It was his own
Stonewall Brigade, the one of which he was so proud, and which he had
led in person into the war. Their commander was standing beside a tree,
and riding up to him he demanded fiercely:

"What is the meaning of this? Why have you stopped?"

"I ordered a stop of a little while for the men to cook their rations,"
replied General Garnett.

Jackson's face darkened yet further, and the blue eyes were menacing.

"There is no time for that," he said sharply.

"But the men can't go any farther without them. It's impossible."

"I never found anything impossible with this brigade."

Jackson shot forth the words as if they were so many bullets, gave
Garnett a scornful look and rode on. Harry followed him, as was his
duty, but more slowly, and looked back. He saw a deep red flush show
through Garnett's sunburn. But the preparations for cooking were stopped
abruptly. Within three minutes the Stonewall Brigade was in line again,
marching resolutely over the frozen road. Garnett had recognized that
the impossible was possible--at least where Jackson led.

Not many stragglers were found as they rode on toward the rear, but
every regiment increased its speed at sight of the stern general. After
circling around the rear he rode back toward the front, and he left
Harry and several others to go more slowly along the flanks and report
to him later.

When Harry was left alone he was saluted with the usual good-humored
chaff by the soldiers who again demanded his horse of him, or asked
him whether they were to fight or whether they