onor, nothing, sir. You have shaken me by the hand,
and that's enough." The old man hesitated, and then, seeing only
kindness in the general's face, for the old sailor attracted and
pleased him, he went on softly: "Ay, love's a mighty thing, your honor;
we knows it, we old men. And love of woman's strong, they say, but
these boys have shown us that something else is stronger."

"And what is that, pray, my friend?"

"Love of country, sir," said Bentley, in the silence.

CHAPTER XXII

_Washington--a Man with Human Passions_

Half an hour later, after the four travellers had taken some
refreshment, hasty steps were heard outside the door, followed by the
sentry's hail.

"Ah!" said the general, looking up eagerly from the book he had been
reading, "perhaps that is Mr. Martin with news from the enemy." Then
laying aside his book, he rose to his feet to meet the new-comer, who
proved to be the man he had expected. The young man stood at attention
and saluted, while the general addressed him sharply,--

"Well, sir, what have you learned?"

The young officer appeared extremely embarrassed. "I--well, the fact
is, sir, nothing at all," he stammered.

"Nothing!" said the general, loudly, with rising heat, "nothing, sir!
Did you not cross the river as I directed you?"

"No, sir. That is, I tried to, but there was so much floating ice, and
it was so difficult to manage a boat that I thought it would be hardly
worth while to attempt it, sir. In fact, the crossing is impracticable
for troops," he went on more confidently; but his face changed as he
looked up at his infuriated superior. The general was a picture of
wrath; the lines in his forehead standing out plainly, his mouth shut
more tightly and grimly than ever. It was evident that he was
furiously angry, and his face had in it something terrible from his
rage. The young officer stood before him now, white and frightened to
death.

"I saw him this way at Kip's Landing," whispered Hamilton to Seymour.
"Look! he has lost control of himself completely, there will be an
explosion sure."

The general struggled for a moment, and then broke away.

"Impracticable, sir! impracticable!" he roared out in a voice of
thunder. "How dare you say what this army can or can not do! And what
do you mean by not crossing the river and ascertaining the facts I
desire to know!" The next moment he stepped forward and, seizing a
heavy leaden inkstand from the table ne