came around presently and told them that the 200th Ind. would have the
advance next day, and Co. Q would be on the skirmish-line. He told the
boys to see that their cartridge-boxes were all full and their guns in
good order, as they would be very like to run foul of the rebels.

This was just before the battle of Perryville. The rebels were very
saucy, and there seemed to be a fair prospect that the curiosity of
the members of the 200th Ind. to "see the elephant" would be at least
measurably gratified.

Before Si went to bed he cleaned up his gun and made sure that it would
"go off" whenever he wanted it to. Then he and Shorty crawled under the
blankets, and as they lay "spoon fashion," thinking about what might
happen the next day. Si said he hoped they would both have "lots of
sand."

All night Si dreamed about awful scenes of slaughter. Before morning he
had destroyed a large part of the Confederate army.

It was yet dark when the reveille sounded through the camp. Si and
Shorty kicked off the blankets at first blast of bugle, and were
promptly in their places for roll-call. Then, almost in a moment, a
hundred fires were gleaming, and the soldiers gathered around them to
prepare their hasty breakfast.

Before the sun was up the bugles rang out again upon the morning air.
In quick succession came the "general," the "assembly," and "to the
colors." The 200th marched out upon the pike, but soon filed off into
a cornfield to take its assigned place in the line, for the advance
division was to move in order of battle, brigade front, that day.

In obedience to orders, Co. Q moved briskly out and deployed as
skirmishers, covering the regimental front. As the line advanced through
field and thicket Si Klegg's heart was not the only one that thumped
against the blouse that covered it.

It was not long till a squad of cavalrymen came galloping back, yelling
that the rebels were just ahead. The line was halted for a few minutes;
while the Generals swept the surrounding country with their field
glasses and took in the situation.

The skirmishers, for fear of accidents, took advantage of such cover as
they could find. Si and Shorty found themselves to leeward of a large
stump.

"D'ye reckon a bullet 'd go through this 'ere stump?" said Si.

Before Shorty could answer something else happened that absorbed their
entire attention. For the time they didn't think of anything else.

'Boom-m-m-m!'

"Great Scott! d'ye hea