hat the
alarm had spread, for they were falling back upon the camp, and twice
over Fred was challenged, and had to run the risk of a bullet; but
partly by knowing the ground far better than those who challenged, and
partly from the darkness, the pair succeeded in reaching the little
camp, to find all in commotion, horses saddled, men ready to mount, and
an intense desire existent to know from which side to expect the attack.

After a time the hurry and excitement quieted down, for after scouts and
patrols had done their work, the whole alarm was traced to one of the
sentinels, who had heard whispering in the wood near which he was
stationed, and had fired at once, his nearest fellow having taken up the
signal, fired, and slowly fallen back.

"Better too much on the _qui vive_ than too drowsy," said the general,
at last, good-humouredly. "I was afraid, Forrester, it was an attempt
on the part of the enemy to escape."

"And we could clear it all up with a word, Samson," said Fred, who was
full of self-reproach.

"But don't you speak it, Master Fred," whispered Samson, who had
contrived to get another jerkin. "If you tell, they'll go down to the
wood, and find that brother of mine, and bring him in, and here he'll be
lying in clover, and doctored up, and enjoying himself, while poor we
are slaving about in sunshine and rain, and often not getting anything
to eat, or a rag to cover us."

"I shall not speak, Samson, for there was no harm done," said Fred,
quietly; "but I wonder at your covering your enemy from the cold."

"Needn't wonder, sir. Didn't I always cover my tender plants from the
cold? It wasn't because I liked them, but so as they'd be useful
by-and-by. My brother Nat will be useful by-and-by. I want him. I
shall give him such a lesson one of these days as shall make him ashamed
of himself."

A trumpet rang out again on the night air, and men dismounted, picketed
their horses once more, and some lay down to snatch a few hours' rest,
while others sat together talking and asking one another questions about
the attack they foresaw would most probably take place that day, for the
night was waning, and they knew that before long the dawn would be
showing in the east, and that it would be morn; while, in spite of
plenty of sturdy courage and indifference to danger, there were men
there who could not refrain from asking themselves whether they would
live to see the next day.

It was somewhere about sunr