o foe appeared in front of them in the fields, and then with a rush
they were at the foot of the ridge. Another rush and they had climbed
it. Harry from its crest saw the wide field of combat and he knew that
the greater battle had just begun.

CHAPTER VI. KERNSTOWN

The long winding lines of the two armies spread over a maze of fields,
woods and thickets, with here and there a stone wall and scattered low
hills, which could be used as points of strength. Jackson's men, led by
able officers, were pushing forward with all their might. The woods, the
thickets and the mud nullified to some extent the superior power of
the Northern artillery, but the rifles were pouring forth shattering
volleys, many at close range.

Harry felt his horse stagger just after he reached the crest of the
hill, but he took no notice of it until a few minutes later, when the
animal began to shiver. He leaped clear just in time, for when the
shiver ceased, the horse plunged forward, fell on his side and lay dead.
As Harry straightened himself on his feet a bullet went through the brim
of his cap, and another clipped his epaulet.

"Those must be western men shooting at you, Harry," said a voice beside
him. "But it could have been worse. You're merely grazed, when you could
have been hit and hit deep."

It was Langdon, cool and imperturbable, who was speaking. He was
regarding Harry rather quizzically, as the boy mechanically brushed the
mud from his clothes.

"Force of habit," said Langdon, and then he suddenly grasped Harry and
pulled him to his knees. There was a tremendous crash in front of them,
and a storm of bullets swept over their heads.

"I saw a Yankee officer give the word, and then a million riflemen rose
from the bushes and fired straight at us!" shouted Langdon. "You stay
here! See the Invincibles are all about you!"

Harry saw that he had in truth fallen among the Invincibles. There was
St. Clair, immaculate, a blazing red spot in either cheek, gazing at
the great swarms of riflemen in front. Colonel Leonidas Talbot and
Lieutenant-Colonel Hector St. Hilaire, those veteran West Pointers, were
stalking up and down in front of their lines, fiercely bidding their men
to lie down. But Harry knew that his duty was elsewhere.

"I belong to the general!" he exclaimed. "I must join him!"

Casting one glance of regret at the fallen horse that had served him so
well he rushed toward General Jackson, who with the rest of his s