n finish our game soon."

A sudden crash of rifle fire toward the east and from a point not distant
told them no. They rose to their feet, but they put the chessmen away
very deliberately, while the young officers hastened to their posts.
The fire continued and spread about them in a half circle, accompanied
now and then by the deeper note of a light field gun. Sherburne made his
dispositions rapidly. All the men remained on foot, but a certain number
were told off to hold the horses in the center of the camp.

"We're attacked by a large force," said Sherburne, "Our scouts gave us
warning in time. Evidently they wish to drive us away from here because
this will be the ford in case the river falls in time."

"Then you look for a sharp fight?"

"Without question. And remember that you're to avoid all risk if you
can. It's not your business to get shot here, but it is your business,
and your highly important business, to ride back to General Lee with the
news of what's happening. In order to do that it's necessary for you to
remain alive."

"I obey orders," said Harry reluctantly.

"Of course you do. Keep back with the men who are holding the horses.
That fire is growing fast! I'm glad we were able to find a camp so
defensible as this hill."

He hurried away to watch his lines and Harry remained at his station near
the horses, where Dalton was compelled by the same responsibility to stay
with him. It was the first time that Harry had been forced to remain a
mere spectator of a battle raging around him, and while not one who
sought danger for danger's sake, it was hard work to control himself and
remain quiet and unmoved.

"I suspect they're trying to cut us off completely from our own army,"
he said to Dalton.

"Seems likely to me, too," said Dalton. "Wipe us out here, and hold the
river for themselves. Our scouts assured us that there was no large
force of the enemy in this region. It must have been gathered in great
haste."

"In whatever way it was gathered, it's here, that's sure."

There was a good moon now, and, using his glasses, Harry saw many details
of the battle. The attack was being pressed with great vigor and
courage. He saw in a valley numerous bodies of cavalry, firing their
carbines, and he saw two batteries, of eight light guns each, move
forward for a better range. Soon their shells were exploding near the
hill on which Harry stood, and the fire of the rifles, unbroken now,
g