ould be so sure of a quick cure in every case. Here, my lad,
take two of these. A big start is often a good one."

Dick raised his head obediently and took the two quinine pills. Soon he
sank into a condition which was as near stupor as sleep. But before he
passed into unconsciousness he heard the doctor say:

"Wake him soon enough in the morning, Colonel, to take two more. What a
wonderful thing for our armies that we can get all the quinine we want!
The rebel supply, I know, is exhausted. With General Quinine on our side
we're bound to win."

"But that isn't the only reason, doctor. Now--" Their voices trailed
away as Dick sank into oblivion. He had a dim memory of being awakened
the next morning and of swallowing two more pills, but in a minute or
two he sank back into a sleep which was neither feverish nor troubled.
When he awoke the dark had come a second time. The fever was wholly
gone, and his head had ceased to ache.

Dick felt weak, but angry at himself for having broken down at such
a time, he sat up and began to put on the dry uniform that lay in the
tent. Then he was astonished to find how great his weakness really was,
but he persevered, and as he slipped on the tunic Warner came into the
tent.

"You've been asleep a long time," he said, looking at Dick critically.

"I know it. I suppose I slept all through the night as well as the day."

"And the great battle was fought without you."

Dick started, and looked at his comrade, but Warner's eyes were
twinkling.

"There's been no battle, and you know it," Dick said.

"No, there hasn't been any; there won't be any for several days at
least. That whopping big rain last night did us a service after all. It
was Early who crossed the river, and now he is in a way cut off from the
rest of the Southern army. We hear that he'll go back to the other side.
But Stuart has curved about us, raided our supply train and destroyed
it. And he's done more than that. He's captured General Pope's important
papers."

"What does it mean for us?"

"A delay, but I don't know anything more. I suppose that whatever is
going to happen will happen in its own good time. You feel like a man
again, don't you Dick? And you can have the consolation of knowing that
nothing has happened all day long when you slept."

Dick finished his dressing, rejoined his regiment and ate supper with
the other officers around a fine camp fire. He found that he had a good
appetite, and as he at