He had escaped without harm and he saw with pleasure that the lads were
alive and well, except for Warner's slight wound.
"You can rest now, boys," he said, "I won't need you for some time.
But I can tell you that I don't think General Thomas means to quit.
He will follow up his victory."
But Dick and Warner had been sure of that already. The army, flushed
with triumph, was eager to be led on, even to make a night attack on the
intrenchments of the enemy, but Thomas held them, knowing that another
brigade of Northern troops was marching to his aid. The brigade came,
but it was now dark and he would not risk a night attack. But some of
the guns were brought up and they sent a dozen heavy cannon shot into
the intrenchments of the enemy. There was no reply and neither of the
boys, although they strained ears, could hear anything in the defeated
camp.
"I shouldn't be surprised if we found them gone in the morning," said
Major Hertford to Dick. "But I think our general is right in not making
any attack upon their works. What do you say to that, Sergeant Whitley?
You've had a lot of experience."
Sergeant Whitley was standing beside them, also trying to pierce the
darkness with trained eyes, although he could not see the Confederate
intrenchments.
"If a sergeant may offer an opinion I agree with you fully, sir,"
he said. "A night attack is always risky, an' most of all, sir, when
troops are new like ours, although they're as brave as anybody.
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