present
must rely upon his own judgment.

But Jackson never hesitated. While the fire of the riflemen deepened
he plunged into the Wilderness in pursuit of Hooker, who for some
inscrutable reason was concentrating his masses about the Chancellor
House for pitched battle. They advanced by two ways, a pike and a plank
road, with Jackson himself on the plank road.

Harry felt a strange prickling at the roots of his hair as the
Wilderness closed in on pursuer and pursued, but it was only for a
moment. The enemy far down the plank road held his attention. Many
riflemen were there and they were sending back bullets, most of which
fell short. Now and then a curving shell struck among the bushes, burst,
and hurt no one.

It had grown darker when they entered the Wilderness. The scrub forest,
not lofty enough for dignity and nobility, was nevertheless dense enough
to shut out most of the sunlight. Despite the blaze of the firing,
both pursuer and pursued were enveloped in heavy shadows.

Harry had nothing to do but to keep near his general, in case he was
wanted. But he watched everything with the utmost interest. Once he
looked back and saw the Invincibles, few in number, but still preserving
their regiment, marching in brave style along the plank road. Colonel
Talbot and Lieutenant-Colonel St. Hilaire were riding side by side
at its head, and in all the army there were not two more erect and
soldierly figures than theirs.

They soon heard heavy artillery discharges from the other force on the
pike, and the fire in front of them increased heavily. Nevertheless
both forces pushed resolutely onward. Harry had no idea what it all
meant. The movements of Hooker were a mystery to him, but he felt the
presence of an enveloping danger, through which, however, he felt sure
that the sword of Jackson could slash.

He saw that the generals were neglecting no precautions. The scouts and
hardy riflemen were now pressing through all the forests and thickets,
like Indians trailing in the Wilderness. They kept the two forces,
the one on the plank road and the other on the pike, in touch. McLaws,
who had shown so much spirit and judgment at Antietam, led on the pike.

Now the fighting increased on both roads. Batteries faced batteries
and cavalry charged. But Harry felt all the time that these were not
supreme efforts. The opposing force seemed to be merely a curtain
before Hooker, and as the Southern army advanced t