Part 17 (1/2)

”It's the spirit that Grant showed at Vicksburg,” said Warner, seriously. ”Little Phil-I intend to call him that when I'm not in his presence, because it's really a term of admiration-is another Grant, only younger and on horseback.”

”It's fire that does it,” said d.i.c.k. ”No, Frank, I don't mean this material fire burning before us, but the fire that makes him see obstacles little, and advantages big, the fire that makes him rush over everything to get at the enemy and destroy him.”

”Well spoken, d.i.c.k,” said Warner. ”A bit rhetorical, perhaps, but that can be attributed to your youth and the region from which you come.”

”It's a great pity, George, about my youth and the region from which I come. If so many youths in blue didn't come from that same region the whole Mississippi Valley might now be in the hands of the Johnnies.”

”Didn't I tell you, d.i.c.k, not to argue with him?” said Pennington. ”What's the use? New England has the writers and when this war is ended victoriously they'll give the credit of all the fighting to New England. And after a while, through the printed word, they'll make other people believe it, too.”

”Then you Nebraskans and Kentuckians should learn to read and write.

Why blame me?” said Warner with dignity.

Colonel Winchester joined them at that moment, having returned from a brief council with Sheridan and his officers. d.i.c.k, without a word, pa.s.sed him a plate of hot ham and a tin cup of sizzling coffee. The colonel, who looked worn to the bone but triumphant, ate and drank. Then he settled himself into an easy place before one of the fires and said:

”A messenger has gone to General Grant with the news of our victory, and it will certainly be a most welcome message. The news will also be sent to the nearest telegraph station, and then it will travel on hundreds of wires to every part of the North, but while it's flas.h.i.+ng through s.p.a.ce we'll be riding forward to new battle.”

”I expected it, sir,” said d.i.c.k. ”I suppose we advance again at dawn.”

”And maybe a little sooner. Now you boys must rest. You've had eighteen hours of marching and fighting. I've been very proud of my regiment today, and fortunately we have escaped without large losses.”

”And you sleep, too, sir, do you not?” said Warner, respectfully.

”If we've been marching and fighting for eighteen hours so have you.”

”I shall do so a little later, but that's no reason why the rest of you should delay. How that coffee and ham refreshed me! I didn't know I was so nearly dead.”

”Here's more, Colonel!”

”Thank you, d.i.c.k. I believe I will. But as I say, go to sleep. I want all my regiment to sleep. We don't know what is before us tomorrow, but whatever it is it won't be easy. Now you boys have had enough to eat and drink. Into the blankets with you!”

He did not wait to see his order obeyed, but strode away on another hasty errand. But it was obeyed and that, too, without delay. The young warriors rolled themselves in their blankets and hunted a soft place for their heads. But their nerves were not yet quiet, and sleep did not come for a little while. The long lines of fires still glowed, and the sounds of an army came to them. d.i.c.k looked up into the stars.h.i.+ne. He was still rejoicing in the victory, not because the other side had lost, but because, in his opinion, it brought peace much nearer. He realized as he lay there gazing into the skies that the South could never win as long as the North held fast. And the North was holding fast. The stars as they winked at him seemed to say so.

He propped himself upon his elbow and said:

”George, does your little algebra tell you anything about the meaning of this victory?”

Warner tapped his breast.

”That n.o.ble book is here in the inside pocket of my tunic,” he replied. ”It's not necessary for me to take it out, but tucked away on the 118th page is a neat little problem which just fits this case. Let x equal the Army of Northern Virginia, let y equal the army of Early here in the valley, and let x plus y equal a possibly successful defense by the South. But when y is swept away it's quite certain that x standing alone cannot do so. My algebra tells you on the 118th page, tucked away neatly in a paragraph, that this is the beginning of the end.”

”It sounds more like a formula than a problem, George, but still I'm putting my faith in your little algebra book.”

”George's algebra is all right,” said Pennington, ”but it doesn't always go before, it often comes after. It doesn't show us how to do a thing, but proves how we've done it. As for me, I'm pinning my faith to Little Phil. He won a great victory today, when all our other leaders for years have been beaten in the Valley of Virginia, and sometimes beaten disgracefully too.”

”Your argument is unanswerable, Frank,” said d.i.c.k. ”I didn't expect such logic from you.”

”Oh, I think I'm real bright at times.”

”Despite popular belief,” said Warner.

”I don't advertise my talents,” said Pennington.