"Lots of people have laughed at Abe Lincoln an' have called him only
a rail-splitter," said Whitley, "but I heard him two or three times,
when he was campaignin' in Illinois, an' I tell you he's a man."
"He was born in my state," said Dick, "and I mean to be proud of him.
He'll have support, too. Look how the country is standing by him!"
More than once in the succeeding days Dick Mason's heart thrilled at
the mighty response that came to the defeat of Bull Run. The stream of
recruits pouring into the capital never ceased. He now saw men, and
many boys, too, like himself, from every state north of the Ohio River
and from some south of it. Dan Whitley met old logging friends from
Wisconsin whom he had not seen in years, and George Warner saw two
pupils of his as old as himself.
Dick had inherited a sensitive temperament, one that responded quickly
and truthfully to the events occurring about him, and he foresaw the
beginning of a mighty struggle. Here in the capital, resolution was
hardening into a fight to the finish, and he knew from his relatives
when he left Kentucky that the South was equally determined. There was
an apparent pause in hostilities, but he felt that the two sections were
merely gathering their forces for a mightier conflict.
His comrades and he had little to do, and they had frequent leaves of
absence. On one of them they saw a man of imposing appearance pass down
Pennsylvania Avenue.
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