wn the grass o' this ere airth. Why, hit jest
dazed my eyes ter look at 'em. Come ter this other winder. D' ye see
thet furtherest line o' campfires, 'way on yander hill? Well, them's
Union. Ef ye could see far enuf ye'd see they're 'bout five miles long,
an' they look purtier'n the stars in heaven."

"But if they are so close the battle will begin immediately, will it
not?"

"Hit ain't likely ter be put off very long, but thar's no tellin'
what'll happen in war, or when."

"When is my time to come?"

"Thet's what I've come furt ter tell ye. Ef we're agwine ter be of
sarvice ter the Guv'MENT, we must do hit to-night, fur most likely the
battle'll begin in the mornin'. Hit's not jest the way I intended ter
make use of ye, but hit can't be helped now. I hev information thet must
reach Gineral Rosencrans afore daybreak. The vict'ry may depend on hit.
Ter make sure all on us must start with hit, fur gittin' through the
lines is now mouty dangersome, an' somebody--mebbe several--is bound to
git cotcht, mebbe wuss. The men I expected ter help me are all gone. I
hain't nobody now but ye an Aunt Debby. D'ye dar try an' make yer way
through the lines to-night?"

Rachel thought a minute upon the dreadful possibilities of the venture,
and then replied firmly:

"Yes I dare. I will try anything that the rest of you will attempt."

"Good. I knowed ye'd talk thet-a-way. Now we must waste no time in
gittin' started, fur God on'y knows what diffikilties we'll meet on
the way, an' Rosencrans can't hev the information enny too soon. Ev'ry
minute hit's kep' away from him'll cost many vallerable lives--mebbe
help defeat the army."

"Tell me quickly, then, what I must do, that I may lose no time in
undertaking it."

"Well, heah's a plan of the position at sundown of the Rebels. Hit's
drawed out moughty roughly but hit'll show jest whar they all are, an'
about the number there is at each place. Hit begins on the right, which
is south of Stone River, with Breckenridge's men; then across the river
is Withers, an' Cheatham, an' Cleburne, with McCown's division on
the left, an' Wharton's cavalry on the flank. But the thing o' most
importance is thet all day long they've been movin' men round ter ther
left, ter fall on our right an' crush hit. They're hid in the cedar
thickets over thar, an' they'll come out to-morrow mornin' like a
million yellin' devils, an' try ter sweep our right wing offen the face
o' the arth. D'ye understand wha