drinkin', too.
This ain't--" Drew's thoughts flitted back to his meeting with Aunt
Marianna on the Lexington road--"all saber wavin' and chargin' the enemy
and playin' hero to the home folks; this is sweatin' and dirt on you and
your clothes, goin' mighty hungry, and cold and wet--when it's the
season for goin' cold and wet. It's takin' a lot of the bad, with not
much good. And if you don't cut off home now, you'll ride our way,
keepin' your mouth shut and doin' as you're told!"

Boyd swallowed visibly. "All right." But there was a firmness in that
short answer which surprised Drew. The other sounded as if he meant it,
as if he were swearing the oath of allegiance to the regiment. But
_could_ he take it? A few days on the run, and Boyd would probably quit.
Maybe if they got into some town and the Yankees didn't smoke them out
right away, Drew could send a telegram and Boyd would be collected. Drew
tried to console himself with that thought all the time another part of
him was certain that Boyd intended to prove he could stick through all
the rigors Drew had just outlined for him.

But in any event the boy's introduction to war was going to be as
unromantic as anyone could want, short of being thrown cold and
untrained into a major battle. They must be prepared for a bad time
until they made it out of the Union lines and south again.

The night closed down, dark and moonless, with a heaviness in the air
which was oppressive. Campbell had to grant men and horses a breathing
period. He put out pickets, leaving the rest of them to lie with their
mounts saddled and to hand. Drew loosened the girth, stripped off saddle
and blanket, and wiped down the sweaty back of his new mount. But he
dared not leave the gelding free. So, against all good practice, he
re-equipped the tired beast. No mount was going to be able to take that
kind of treatment for long. They had a half dozen spare horses, and
undoubtedly they could "trade" worn-out mounts for fresh ones along the
way. But such ceaseless use was cruel punishment, and no man wanted to
inflict it. War was harder on horses than men. At least the men could
take their chances and had a fraction of free will in the matter.

Drew awoke at a tug of his sleeve, flailed out his arm, and struck home.
Kirby laughed in the gray dawn.

"Now that theah, kid, is no way to go 'round wakin' up a soldier. He may
take you for a blue belly as has come crawlin' into his dreams. It's all
right,