conded Lieutenant-Colonel Hector
St. Hilaire in his softest and most persuasive South Carolina accent.
"You really owe that to us."

"I promise gladly," replied Harry; "but you know what General Jackson
is. He makes his plans without telling anybody what they are, and he
carries them out. If it is a part of his plan for the Invincibles to
lead the attack, so far as his division is concerned, you'll lead it.
If not, you won't."

"But still a word in his ear might have some influence," persisted
Colonel Talbot. "It might come at the very moment when he was
hesitating over a choice, and it would probably decide him in our favor."

"Then I shall do my best, sir," said Harry. "You can rely upon me"

He returned to General Jackson, but found that his commander was yet
inactive. He was still waiting and watching with a patience that seemed
equal to that of the Sphinx. Noon came, food was served, and the hours
trailed their slow length on.

Then they saw a great movement in the Union army. The Northern generals
were about to make their supreme effort. Hooker, who had shown such
desperate courage at Antietam and who had won the name of Fighting Joe,
called for men who would cross the river in boats under the fire of
the Mississippi rifles. It looked like certain death, but four entire
regiments came forward at once. They entered the boats, which promptly
pulled for the right bank, and the great batteries at once opened a
covering fire.

The Mississippians once more sent forth their hail of bullets, but the
boats were so numerous that, although some were stopped, the majority
came on. Man after man, shot through, fell over the sides into the
deep river. Sometimes a boat itself sank, but the main force rapidly
approached the Southern side.

"They have lost many men, but they will make the crossing at last,
Harry," said Dalton.

"So it seems," said Harry. "I suppose our generals could bring up
enough men to drive them back, but it looks as if they don't want to
do it."

"It may be that they're holding the trap open for the victim to walk in."

"However it may be, they're across. See, they're landing in thousands,
and the Mississippians, leaving their rifle pits, are retreating.
Now they can finish the bridge and as many more as they need at their
leisure."

The retreating Mississippians rejoined their comrades, and still the
Southern army did not stir. The Northern army, almost unmolested,
continued it