rry Kenton and others I know."

"Flashes! What do you mean?" asked Warner.

"Why, a sort of lightning stroke out of the past. Something that lasts
only a second, but in which you have a share. Boys, one day I saw myself
a Carthaginian soldier following Hannibal over the Alps."

"Maybe," said Pennington, "we have lived other lives on this earth, and
sometimes a faint glimpse of them comes to us. It's just a guess."

"That's so," said Warner, "and we'd better be getting back to the
regiment. Grand Gulf defended by Bowen and eight thousand good men is
really enough for us. I think we're going to see some lively fighting
here."

The heavy boom of a cannon from the upper circle of batteries swept over
the vast sheet of water flowing so swiftly toward the Gulf. The sound
came back in dying echoes, and then there was complete silence among
besieged and besiegers.

The Winchesters had found a good solid place, a little hill among the
marshes, and they were encamped there with their horses. Dick had no
messages to carry, but he remained awake, while his comrades slept
soundly. He had slept so much the night before that he had no desire for
sleep now.

From his position he could see the Confederate bluffs and a few lights
moving there, but otherwise the two armies were under a blanket of
darkness. He again felt deeply the sense of isolation and loneliness,
not for himself alone, but for the whole army. Grant had certainly shown
supreme daring in pushing far into the South, and the government at
Washington had cause for alarm lest he be reckless. If there were any
strong hand to draw together the forces of the Confederacy they could
surely crush him. But he had already learned in this war that those who
struck swift and hard were sure to win. That was Stonewall Jackson's
way, and it seemed to be Grant's way, too.

Still unable to sleep, he walked to a better position, where he could
see the shimmering dark of the river and the misty heights with their
two circles of cannon. A tall figure standing there turned at his tread
and he recognized Colonel Winchester.

"Uneasy at our position, Dick?" said the colonel, fathoming his mind at
once.

"A little, sir, but I think General Grant will pull us through."

"He will, Dick, and he'll take this fort, too. Grant's the hammer we've
been looking for. Look at his record. He's had backsets, but in the end
he's succeeded in everything he's tried. The Confederate government and
le