shadows. The Winchesters stood among the
trees, gasping and staunching their wounds, but victorious.

Now they had only a few moments for rest. Bugles called and they rushed
back to their old position just as the Southern cavalry, sabers circling
aloft swept down upon them again. They went once more through that
terrible turmoil of fire and flashing steel, and a second time the
Winchesters were victorious. But they could have stood no more, and
Thomas watching everything hurried to their relief a regiment, which
formed up before them to give them breathing time.

The young soldiers threw themselves panting upon the ground, and were
assailed by a burning thirst. The canteens were soon emptied, and still
their lips and throats were parched. Exhausted by their tremendous
exertions, many of them sank into a stupor, although the battle was at
its zenith and the earth shook with the crash of the heavy batteries.

"General Thomas has had news that we're driven in elsewhere," said Dick.

"And we've yielded ground here, too," said Warner.

"But so slowly that it's been only a glacial movement. We've made 'em
pay such a high price that I think old 'Pap' can boast he has held his
ground."

Dick did not know it then nor did the general himself, but 'Pap' Thomas
could boast of far more than having held his ground. His long and
stubborn resistance, his skill in moving his troops from point to point
at the right time, his coolness and judgment in weighing and measuring
everything right, in all the vast turmoil, confusion and uncertainty of
a great battle, had saved the Northern army from destruction.

Now, as the Winchester men lay gasping behind the fresh regiment,
Thomas, who continually passed along the line of battle, came among
them. He was a soldier's soldier, a soldier's general, and he spoke
encouraging words, most of which they could not hear amid the roar of
the battle, but his calm face told their import, and fresh courage came
into their hearts.

The news spread gradually that Thomas only was holding fast, but now his
men instead of being discouraged were filled with pride. It was they and
they alone whom the Southerners could not overwhelm, and Thomas and his
generals inspired them with the belief that they were invincible. Charge
after charge broke against them. More ground was yielded, but at the
same immense price, and the corps, sullen, indomitable, maintained its
order, always presenting a front to the foe, b