. That circuit of Jackson's through Thoroughfare Gap and
the attack from the rear undid us. It comes of being kept in the dark by
the enemy, instead of your keeping him in the dark. We never knew where
the blow was going to fall, and when it fell a lot of us weren't there.
But, Dick, old boy, we're going to win, in the end, aren't we, in spite
of Lee, in spite of Jackson, and in spite of everybody and everything?"

"As surely as the rising and setting of the sun, Frank."

Although Dick had little to do that day, events were occurring. It was
in the minds of Lee and Jackson that they might yet destroy the army
which they had already defeated, and heavy divisions of the Southern
army were moving. Dick heard about night that Jackson had marched ten
miles, through fields deep in mud, and meant to fall on Pope's flank or
rear again. Stuart and his unresting cavalry were also on their right
flank and in the rear, doing damage everywhere. Longstreet had sent
a brigade across Bull Run, and at many points the enemy was pressing
closer.

The next morning, Pope, alarmed by all the sinister movements on his
flanks and in his rear, gathered up his army and retreated. It was full
time or the vise would have shut down on him again. Late that day the
division under Kearney came into contact with Jackson's flanking force
in the forest. A short but fierce battle ensued, fought in the night
and amid new torrents of driving rain. General Kearney was killed by a
skirmisher, but the night and the rain grew so dense, and they were
in such a tangle of thickets and forests that both sides drew off, and
Pope's army passed on.

Dick was not in this battle, but he heard it's crash and roar above the
sweep of the storm. He and the balance of the regiment were helping to
guard the long train of the wounded. Now and then, he leaned from his
horse and looked at Warner who lay in one of the covered wagons.

"I'm getting along all right, Dick, old man," said Warner. "What's all
that firing off toward the woods?"

"A battle, but it won't stop us. We retreated in time."

"And we've been defeated. Well, we can stand it. It takes a good nation
to stand big defeats. You know I taught school once, Dick, and I learned
that the biggest nation the world has ever known was the one that
suffered the biggest defeats. Look at the terrible knocks the Romans
got! Why the Gauls nearly ate 'em alive two or three times, and for
years Hannibal whipped 'em every tim