I returned all the way to the field. The last of our troops
should be leaving there just about now. The Northern army had made no
preparation for immediate pursuit."

"Your report agrees with all the others that I have received. How long
have you been without sleep?"

"I don't know, sir," he said at last. "I can't remember. Maybe it has
been two or three days."

Stuart, who held a cup of coffee in his hand, laughed. "The times have
been such that there are generals as well as lieutenants," he said,
"who can't remember when they've slept."

"You're exhausted, my lad," said Lee gravely and kindly, "and there's
nothing more you can do for us just now. Take some breakfast with us,
and then you must sleep in one of the wagons. An orderly will look after
your horse."

Lee handed him a cup of coffee with his own hand, and Harry, thanking him,
withdrew to the outer fringe of the little group, where he took his
breakfast, amazed to find how hungry he was, although he had not thought
of food before. Then without a word, as he saw that the generals were
engrossed in a conference, he withdrew.

"You'll find Lieutenant Dalton of the staff in the covered wagon over
there," said the orderly who had taken his horse. "The general sent him
to it more'n two hours ago."

"Then I'll be inside it in less than two minutes," said Harry.

But with rest in sight he collapsed suddenly. His head fell forward of
its own weight. His feet became lead. Everything swam before his eyes.
He felt that he must sleep or die. But he managed to drag himself to the
wagon and climbed inside. Dalton lay in the center of it so sound asleep
that he was like one dead. Harry rolled him to one side, making room for
himself, and lay down beside him. Then his eyes closed, and he, too,
slept so soundly that he also looked like one dead.

He was awakened by Dalton pulling at him. The young Virginian was
sitting up and looking at Harry with curiosity. He clapped his hands
when the Kentuckian opened his eyes.

"Now I know that you're not dead," he said. "When I woke up and found
you lying beside me I thought they had just put your body in here for
safekeeping. As that's not the case, kindly explain to me and at once
what you're doing in my wagon."

"I'm waking up just at present, but for an hour or two before that I was
sleeping."

"Hour or two? Hour or two? Hear him! An orderly who I know is no liar
told me that you got in here jus