or weary that
morning. No one in the army had caught more quickly than he the spirit
of Stonewall Jackson. He could endure anything, and in another hour
or two they would pass out of this wilderness of forest and snow, and
attack the enemy. Bath was just ahead.

A thrill passed through the whole army. Everybody knew that Jackson was
about to attack. While the first and reluctant sun of dawn was trying to
pierce the heavy clouds, the regiments, spreading out to right and
left to enclose Bath, began to march. Then the sun gave up its feeble
attempts, the clouds closed in entirely, the wind began to blow hard,
and with it came a blinding snow, and then a bitter hail.

Harry had been sent by Jackson to the right flank with orders and he was
to remain there, unless it became necessary to inform the commander that
some regiment was not doing its duty. But he found them all marching
forward, and, falling in with the Invincibles, he marched with them.
Yet it was impossible for the lines to retain cohesion or regularity, so
fierce was the beat of the storm.

It was an alternation of blinding snow and of hail that fairly stung.
Often the officers could not see the men thirty yards distant, and
there was no way of knowing whether the army was marching forward in
the complete half circle as planned. Regiments might draw apart, leaving
wide gaps between, and no one would know it in all that hurricane.

Harry rode by the side of Colonel Leonidas Talbot and Lieutenant-Colonel
Hector St. Hilaire, who were leading the Invincibles in person. Both
had gray military cloaks drawn around them, but Harry saw that they
were shivering with cold as they sat on their horses, with the snow
accumulating on their shoulders and on the saddles around them. In
truth, the foot cavalry had rather the better of it, as the hard
marching kept up the circulation.

"Not much like the roses of Charleston," said Colonel Talbot, faintly
smiling.

"But I'm glad to be here," said Harry, "although I will admit, sir, that
I did not expect a campaign to the North Pole."

"Neither did I, but I'm prepared for anything now, under the commander
that we have. Bear in mind, my young friend, that this is for your
private ear only."

"Of course, sir! What was that? Wasn't it a rifle shot?"

"The report is faint, but it was certainly made by a rifle. And hark,
there are others! We've evidently come upon their outposts! Confound
this storm! It keeps us from seeing m