hes from General Gaines."

"I remember; you belong to the Fifth, and, without orders, I promptly
dragooned you into garrison service." His eyes laughed. "Only sorry I
cannot hold you any longer."

"I do not understand, sir."

"Yet I presume you have learned that the _Wanderer_ stopped here for an
hour last night on its way north to Prairie du Chien?"

"Captain Thockmorton just informed me."

"But you received no mail?"

"No, sir; or, rather, I have not been at the office to inquire. Was
there mail for me?"

"That I do not know; only I have received a communication relating to
you. It seems you have an application pending for a furlough."

"Yes, sir."

"It is my pleasure to inform you that it has been granted--sixty days,
with permission to proceed east. There has been considerable delay
evidently in locating you."

A sudden vision arose before me of my mother's face and of the old home
among the hills as I took the paper from his extended hands and glanced
at the printed and written lines.

"The date is a month ago."

"That need not trouble you, Knox. The furlough begins with this
delivery. However, as I shall require your services as far as St.
Louis, I shall date its acceptance from the time of your arrival there."

"Which is very kind, sir."

"Not at all. You have proven of considerable assistance here, and I
shall part from you with regret. I have letters for Governor Clark of
Missouri, and Governor Reynolds of Illinois; also one to General
Atkinson at Jefferson Barracks, detailing my views on the present
Indian situation. These are confidential, and I hesitate to entrust
them to the regular mail service. I had intended sending them down
river in charge of a non-commissioned officer, but shall now utilize
your services instead--that is, if you are willing to assume their
care?"

"Very gladly, of course."

"I thought as much. Each of these is to be delivered in person.
Captain Thockmorton informs me that he will be prepared to depart
within an hour. You can be ready in that time?"

I smiled.

"In much less. I have little with me but a field kit, sir. It will
not require long to pack that."

"Then return here at the first whistle, and the letters will be ready
for you. That will be all now."

I turned toward the door, but paused irresolutely. The major was
already bent over his task, and writing rapidly.

"I beg your pardon, sir, but as I am still to remain on duty, I pres