rength was flowing
back swiftly.

Then he entered the valley, pressing straight toward the west, and soon
heard the tread of horses. He knew that they must be the cavalry of his
own army, but he withdrew into the bushes until he was assured. A dozen
men riding slowly and warily came into view, and though the moonlight was
wan he recognized them at once. When they were opposite him he stepped
from his ambush and said:

"A happy night to you, Colonel Talbot."

Colonel Leonidas Talbot was a brave man, but seldom in his life had he
been so shaken.

"Good God, Hector!" he cried. "It's Harry Kenton's ghost!"

Lieutenant-Colonel Hector St. Hilaire turned pale.

"I don't believe in ghosts, Leonidas," he said, "but this one certainly
looks like that of Harry Kenton."

"Colonel Talbot," called Harry, "I'm not a ghost. I'm the real Harry
Kenton, hunting for our army."

"Pale but substantial," said St. Clair, who rode just behind the two
colonels. "He's our old Harry himself, and I'd know him anywhere."

"No ghost at all and the Yankee bullets can't make him one," said Happy
Tom.

A weakness seized Harry and a blackness came before his eyes. When he
recovered St. Clair was holding him up, and Colonel Talbot was trying to
pour strong waters down his throat.

"How long have I been this way?" he asked anxiously.

"About sixty seconds," replied Colonel Talbot, "but what difference does
it make?"

"Because I'm in a big hurry to get to General Lee! Oh! Colonel!
Colonel! You must speed me on my way! I've got a message from Colonel
Sherburne to General Lee that means everything, and on the road I
captured another from General Meade to General Pleasanton. Put me on a
horse, won't you, and gallop me to the commander-in-chief!"

"Are you strong enough to ride alone?"

"I'm strong enough to do anything now."

"Then up with you! Here, on Carter's horse! Carter can ride behind
Hubbell! St. Clair, you and Langdon ride on either side of him! You
should reach the commander-in-chief in three-quarters of an hour, Harry!"

"And there is no Yankee cavalry in between?"

"No, they're thick on the slopes above us! You knew that, but here
you're inside our own lines. Judging by your looks you've had quite a
time, Harry. Now hurry on with him, boys!"

"So I have had, Colonel, but the appearance of you, Lieutenant-Colonel
St. Hilaire and the boys was like a light from Heaven. Good-by!"

"Good-by!" the two colonel