ively to the account of the fight in the
mountains, and to all the news that they could tell him of Washington.

"We have been cut off in these mountains," he said. "I know very little
of what is going on, but what you say only confirms my own opinion. The
war is rapidly spreading over a much greater area, and I believe that
its scope will far exceed any of our earlier calculations."

A grave and rather sad expression occupied for a moment the mobile face.
He interested Dick greatly. He seemed to him scholar and thinker as well
as soldier. He and Warner long afterward attended the inauguration of
this man as President of the United States.

After a brief rest, and good wishes from Garfield, Major Hertford and
his command soon reached the main camp under Thomas. Here they were
received by a man very different in appearance and manner from Garfield.

General George H. Thomas, who was to receive the famous title, "The Rock
of Chickamauga," was then in middle years. Heavily built and bearded, he
was chary of words. He merely nodded approval when Major Hertford told
of their march.

"I will assign your troops to a brigade," he said, "and I don't think
you'll have long to wait. We're expecting a battle in a few days with
Crittenden and Zollicoffer."

"Not much to say," remarked Dick to Warner, as they went away.

"That's true," said Warner, thoughtfully, "but didn't you get an
impression of strength from his very silence? I should say that in his
make-up he is five per cent talk, twenty-five per cent patience and
seventy per cent action; total, one hundred per cent."

The region in which they lay was west of the higher mountains, which
they had now crossed, but it was very rough and hilly. Not far from them
was a little town called Somerset, which Dick had visited once, and near
by, too, was the deep and swift Cumberland River, with much floating ice
at its edges. When the two lads lay by a campfire that night Sergeant
Whitley came to them with the news of the situation, which he had picked
up in his usual deft and quiet way.

"The Southern army is on the banks of the Cumberland," he said. "It
has not been able to get its provisions by land through Cumberland Gap.
Instead they have been brought by boats on the river. As I hear it,
Crittenden and Zollicoffer are afraid that our general will advance to
the river an' cut off these supplies. So they mean to attack us as soon
as they can. If I may venture to say so, Mr. M