protect themselves from
the promised rain.

The Acadians, who were wonderful cooks, showed great culinary skill as
well as martial courage. They were becoming general favorites, and they
prepared all sorts of appetizing dishes, which they shared freely with
the Virginians, the Georgians and the others. Then the irrepressible
band began. In the fire-lighted woods and on the ground yet stained by
the red of battle, it played quaint old tunes, waltzes and polkas and
roundelays, and once more the stalwart Pierres and Raouls and Luciens
and Etiennes, clasping one another in their arms, whirled in wild dances
before the fires.

The heavy clouds opened bye and bye, and then all save the sentinels
fled to shelter. Harry and Dalton, who had been watching the dancing,
went to a small tent which had been erected for themselves and two more.
Next to it was a tent yet smaller, occupied by the commander-in-chief,
and as they passed by it they heard low but solemn tones lifted in
invocation to God. Harry could not keep from taking one fleeting glance.
He saw Jackson on his knees, and then he went quickly on.

The other two officers had not yet come, and Dalton and he were alone in
the tent. It was too dark inside for Harry to see Dalton's face, but he
knew that his comrade, too, had seen and heard.

"It will be hard to beat a general who prays," said Dalton. "Some of our
men laugh at Jackson's praying, but I've always heard that the Puritans,
whether in England or America, were a stern lot to face."

"The enemy at least won't laugh at him. I've heard that they had great
fun deriding a praying professor of mathematics, but I fancy they've
quit it. If they haven't they'll do so when they hear of Front Royal."

The tent was pitched on the bare ground, but they had obtained four
planks, every one about a foot wide and six feet or so long. They were
sufficient to protect them from the rain which would run under the tent
and soak into the ground. Harry had long since learned that a tent and a
mere strip of plank were a great luxury, and now he appreciated them at
their full value.

He wrapped himself in the invaluable cloak, stretched his weary body
upon his own particular plank, and was soon asleep. He was awakened in
the night by a low droning sound. He did not move on his plank, but lay
until his eyes became used partially to the darkness. Then he saw
two other figures also wrapped in their cloaks and stretched on their
planks,