ion for battle
before dawn," said the Georgian crisply.

Even as he spoke, Harry heard the heavy, regular tread of the brigades
marching forward through the Wilderness. He saluted General Longstreet.

"I shall return at once with your message," he said.

But Harry, having had one such experience, was resolved not to risk
another. He would make a wider circuit in the rear of the army. Shepard,
on foot, and anxious to avenge his defeat, might be waiting for him,
but he would go around him. So when he started back he made a wide curve,
and soon was in the darkness and silence again.

He had a good horse and his idea of direction being very clear he rode
swiftly in the direction he had chosen. But his curve was so great that
when he reached the center of it he was so far in the rear of the army
that no sound came from it. If the skirmishers were still firing the
reports of their rifles were lost in the distance. Where he rode the
only noises were those made by the wild animals that inhabited the
Wilderness, creatures that had settled back into their usual haunts after
the armies had passed beyond.

Once a startled deer sprang from a clump of bushes and crashed away
through the thickets. Rabbits darted from his path, and an owl,
wondering what all the disturbance was about, hooted mournfully from a
bough.

Long before dawn Harry reached the Southern sentinels in the center and
was then passed to General Lee, who remained at the same camp, sitting on
a log by some smothered coals. Several other members of his staff had
returned already, and the general, looking up when Harry came forward,
merely said:

"Well!"

"I have seen General Longstreet, sir," said Harry, "and he bids me tell
you that he and his men will be in position before dawn. He was nearly
up when I left, and he has also sent you this note."

He handed the note to General Lee, who, bending low over the coals,
read it.

"Everything goes well," he said with satisfaction. "We shall be ready
for them. What time is it, Peyton?"

"Five minutes past four o'clock, sir."

"Then I think the attack should come within an hour."

"Perhaps before daybreak, sir."

"Perhaps. And even after the sun begins to rise it will be like twilight
in this gloomy place."

Grant, in truth, prompt and ready as always, had ordered the advance to
be begun at half-past four, but Meade, asking more time for arrangements
and requesting that it be delayed until six,