Near him was the battery with most of the
men sleeping beside their guns, and not far away was the tent. Although
he could not see the general, he knew instinctively that he was not
asleep.
It was cold and singularly still, considering the presence of so many
thousands of men. He did not hear the sound of human voices and there
was no stamp of horses' feet. They, too, were weary and resting.
Then Dick was conscious of a tall, thin figure beside him. Warner had
awakened, too.
"Dick," he said, "it can't be more than an hour till dawn."
"Just about that I should say."
"And the scene, that is as far as we can see it, is most peaceful."
Dick made no answer, but stood a long time listening. Then he said:
"My ears are pretty good, George, and sound will carry very far in this
silence just before the dawn. I thought I heard a faint sound like the
clank of a cannon."
"I think I hear it, too," said Warner, "and here is the dawn closer at
hand than we thought. Look at those cold rays over there, behind that
hill in the east. They are the vanguard of the sun."
"So they are. And this is the vanguard of the Southern army!"
He spoke the last words quickly and with excitement.
In front of them down the road they heard the crackle of a dozen rifle
shots. The Southern advance undoubtedly had come into contact with the
Union sentinels and skirmishers. After the first shots there was a
moment's breathless silence, and then came a scattered and rapid fire,
as if at least a hundred rifles were at work.
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