ight from
the rivers and creeks of the valley to cover its movements and hide the
advancing columns from its foe. When Harry felt the damp touch of the
vapor on his face his hopes rose yet higher. He knew that weather, fog,
rain, snow and flooding rivers played a great part in the fortunes of
war. Might not the kindly fog, encircling them with its protection,
be a good omen?

"Chance favors us," he said to St. Clair and Langdon, as the fog grew
thicker and thicker, almost veiling their faces from one another.

"I told you that the optimists usually had their way," said Happy.
"We persisted and found that orchard of apples. We persisted and found
that fat porker. Now, I have been wishing for this fog, and I kept on
wishing for it until it came."

Harry laughed.

"You do make the best of things, Happy," he said.

The fog thickened yet more, but the Invincibles made their sure way
through it, the different portions of the army marching in perfect
coordination. Gordon led three divisions of infantry, supported by
a brigade of cavalry across the Shenandoah River and marched east of
Fisher's Hill. Then he went along the slope of the Massanuttons,
recrossed the river, and silently came in behind the left flank of the
Union force under Crook.

Early himself, with two divisions of infantry and all the artillery,
marched straight toward Cedar Creek, where he would await the sound of
firing to tell him that Gordon had completed his great circling movement.
Then he would push forward with all his might, and he and Gordon
appearing suddenly out of the fog and dark would strike sledge hammer
blows from different sides at the surprised Union army. It was a
conception worthy of Old Jack himself, although there was less strength
with which to deal the blows.

The Invincibles were with Early, and they arrived in position before
Cedar Creek long before Gordon could complete his wide flanking movement.
Both artillery and infantry were up, and there was nothing for them to
do but wait. The officers dismounted and naturally those who led the
Invincibles kept close together. The wait was long. Midnight came,
and then the hours after it passed one by one.

It was late in the year, the eighteenth of October, and the night was
chill. The heavy fog which hung low made it chillier. Harry as he stood
by his horse felt it cold and damp on his face, but it was a true friend
for all that. Whether Happy wishing for the fog had m