s
that he had taken up the night before. Jackson wrote a brief reply by
the light of a lantern that an orderly held, and the messenger galloped
away with it. It was the only incident that had occurred in a long time.

"They're not using many lights on the other side of the river," said
Harry, although he noted an occasional flame in the darkness. "Of
course, they want to hide their bridge building, but you'd think they'd
have fires burning elsewhere."

"They've learned the value of caution," said Dalton. "I'm bound to say
they're going about the first part of their work with skill."

He spoke with the calm superiority of a young Officer.

Harry took out his own watch, and by holding it close to his eyes was
able to read its face.

"A quarter to six," he said. "According to the watch it is less than
three hours since we first heard those alarm guns, but my five known
senses and all the unknown tell me that it has been at least a week."

"In an hour we should see something," said Dalton. "Confound this fog.
If it weren't so thick we could see now."

Harry's pulses began to beat hard again in the next hour. He strove
with glasses even for a glimpse of the winter sun which he knew would
come so late, but as yet the fog showed nothing save a faint luminous
tinge low down in the east. An orderly brought food to them, and while
they ate they saw the luminous tinge broaden and deepen.

"The sun's rising behind that fog," said Dalton, "but here comes a
little wind that will drive away the fog or thin it out so we can see."

"Yes, I feel it," said Harry, "and you can see the dull, somber red of
the sun trying to break through. Look, George, unless I'm mistaken the
fog's moving down the river!"

"So it is, there's the flash of the stream, the color of steel, and by
all the stars, there's their bridge two-thirds of the way across!"

Heavier puffs of wind came and the fog billowed off down the river.
The whole gigantic theater of action sprang at once into the light.
There were the two great armies clustered on opposing ridges, there was
the deserted town, there was the deep river, the color of lead, flowing
between the foes, two-thirds of its width already spanned by the Union
bridge, the bridge itself covered with workmen, and boats swarming by
its side.

Harry felt a thrill and a shudder which were almost simultaneous.
Then came a deep muffled roar from the two armies on the ridges looking
at each other. B