id:

"They went this way, sir, but they were running pretty fast."

"They'd good cause to run," said a brusque voice. "You'd a done it, too,
if you'd expected to have the bullets of a whole army barkin' at your
heels."

The footsteps came nearer, crunching on the snow, which lay deep there
among the bushes. They could not be more than a dozen feet away, but
Dick quivered only a little. Buried as he was and with the hanging
bushes over him he was still confident that no one could see him. He
raised himself the least bit, and looking through the boughs, saw a
tanned and dark face under the broad brim of a Confederate hat. Just
then some one said:

"We might have trailed 'em, general, but the snow an' the earth have
already been tramped all up by the army."

"They're not wuth huntin' long anyway," said the same brusque voice. "A
few Yankees prowlin' about in the night can't do us much harm. It's hard
fightin' that'll settle our quarrel."

General Forrest came a little closer and Dick, from his concealment
in the snow, surmising his identity, saw him clearly, although himself
unseen. He was fascinated by the stern, dark countenance. The face of
the unlettered mountaineer was cut sharp and clear, and he had the look
of one who knew and commanded. In war he was a natural leader of men,
and he had already assumed the position.

"Don't you agree with me, colonel?" he said over his shoulder to some
one.

"I think you're right as usual, General Forrest," replied a voice with
a cultivated intonation, and Dick started violently in his bed of snow,
because he instantly recognized the voice as that of his uncle, Colonel
George Kenton, Harry's father. A moment later Colonel Kenton himself
stood where the moonlight fell upon his face. Dick saw that he was worn
and thin, but his face had the strong and resolute look characteristic
of those descended from Henry Ware, the great borderer.

"You know, general, that I endorse all your views," continued Colonel
Kenton. "We are unfortunate here in having a division of counsels, while
the Yankees have a single and strong head. We have underrated this man
Grant. Look how he surprised us and took Henry! Look how he hangs on
here! We've beaten him on land and we've driven back his fleet, but
he hangs on. To my mind he has no notion of retreating. He'll keep on
pounding us as long as we are here."

"That's his way, an' it ought to be the way of every general," growled
Forrest. "You cut