was superfluity. And time had a value beyond price to
their cause.

CHAPTER XII. THE CLOSING CIRCLE

"George," said Harry, "we must chance it now and get back to the horses.
We've got to reach General Jackson before the Northern army is through
the pass."

"You lead," said Dalton. "I don't think we'll have any danger except
when we are in that strip of grass between these bushes and the woods."

Harry started, and when he reached the grass threw himself almost flat
on his face again, crawling forward with extreme caution. Dalton, close
behind him, imitated his comrade. The high grass merely rippled as they
passed and the anxious Northern officers walking back and forth were not
well enough versed in woodcraft to read from any sign that an enemy was
near.

Once Dalton struck his knee against a small bush and caused its leaves
to rustle. A wary and experienced scout would have noticed the slight,
though new noise, and Harry and Dalton, stopping, lay perfectly still.
But the officers walked to and fro, undisturbed, and the two boys
resumed their creeping flight.

When they reached the forest, they rose gladly from their knees, and ran
up the slope, still bearing in mind that time was now the most pressing
of all things. They whistled softly as they neared the little plateau,
and Billy's low answering whistle came back. They hurried up the last
reach of the slope, and there he was, the eyes shining in his eager
face, the three bridles clutched tightly in his small right hand.

"Did you get what you wanted?" he asked in a whisper.

"We did, Billy," answered Harry.

"I saw 'em sendin' up shootin' stars an' other shootin' stars way off to
the east answerin', an' I didn't know what it meant."

"It was their vanguard in the Gap, talking to their army several miles
to the eastward. But we lay in the bushes, Billy, and we heard what
their officers said. All that you heard was true. Ten thousand Yankees
will be through the pass in the morning, and Stonewall Jackson will have
great cause to be grateful to William Pomeroy, aged twelve."

The boy's eyes fairly glowed, but he was a man of action.

"Then I guess that we've got to jump on our horses and ride lickety
split down the valley to give warnin' to General Jackson," he said.

Harry knew what was passing in the boy's mind, that he would go with
them all the way to Jackson, and he did not have the heart to say
anything to the contrary just then. But Dalton r