The Scouts of Stonewall | Page 8

uniform joined the pickets beside the warehouse, and
looked toward the point whence the note of the bugle came.
"Forward!" said Captain Philip Sherburne, himself leading the way,
Harry by his side. The troops, wheeling back into the road and
marching by fours in perfect order, rode straight toward the village.
"Who comes?" was the stern hail.
"A troop of Stonewall Jackson's cavalry to help you," replied Sherburne.
"You are about to be attacked by a Northern division eight hundred
strong."
"Who says so?" came the question in a tone tinged with unbelief, and
Harry knew that it was the stubborn and dogmatic McGee who spoke.
"Lieutenant Harry Kenton of the Invincibles, one of Stonewall
Jackson's best regiments, has seen them. You know him; he was here
yesterday."
As he spoke, Captain Sherburne sprang from his horse and pointed to
Harry.
"You remember me, Captain McGee," said Harry. "I stopped with you
a minute yesterday. I rode on a scouting expedition, and I have seen the
Union force myself. It outnumbers us at least two to one, but we'll have
the advantage of the defense."

"Yes, I know you," said McGee, his heavy and strong, but not very
intelligent face, brightening a little. "But it's a great responsibility I've
got here. We ought to have had more troops to defend such valuable
stores. I've got two hundred men, captain, and I should say that you've
about the same."
It was then that Captain Philip Sherburne showed his knightly character,
speaking words that made Harry's admiration of him immense.
"I haven't any men, Captain McGee," he said, "but you have four
hundred, and I'll help my commander as much as I can."
McGee's eyes gleamed. Harry saw that while not of alert mind he was
nevertheless a gentleman.
"We work together, Captain Sherburne," he said gratefully, "and I
thank God you've come. What splendid men you have!"
Captain Sherburne's eyes gleamed also. This troop of his was his pride,
and he sought always to keep it bright and sharp like a polished sword
blade.
"Whatever you wish, Captain McGee. But it will take us all to repel the
enemy. Kenton here, who saw them well, says they have a fine,
disciplined force."
The men now dismounted and led their horses to a little grove just in
the rear of the warehouse, where they were tethered under the guard of
the villagers, all red-hot partisans of the South. Then the four hundred
men, armed with rifles and carbines, disposed themselves about the
warehouse, the bulk of them watching the road along which the
attacking force was almost sure to come.
Harry took his place with Sherburne, and once more he was compelled
to admire the young captain's tact and charm of manner. He directed
everything by example and suggestion, but all the while he made the
heavy Captain McGee think that he himself was doing it.

Sherburne and Harry walked down the road a little distance.
"Aren't you glad to be here, Kenton?" asked the captain in a somewhat
whimsical tone.
"I'm glad to help, of course."
"Yes, but there's more. When I came to war I came to fight. And if we
save the stores look how we'll stand in Old Jack's mind. Lord, Kenton,
but he's a queer man! You'd never take any notice of him, if you didn't
know who he was, but I'd rather have one flash of approval from those
solemn eyes of his than whole dictionaries of praise from all the other
generals I know."
"I saw him at Bull Run, when he saved the day."
"So did I. The regiment that I was with didn't come up until near the
close, but our baptism of battle was pretty thorough, all the same. Hark!
did you think you heard anything, Kenton?"
Harry listened attentively.
"Yes, I hear something," he replied. "It's very soft, but I should say that
it's the distant beat of hoofs."
"And of many hoofs."
"So I think."
"Then it's our friends of the North, coming to take what we want to
keep. A few minutes more, Kenton, and they'll be here."
They slipped back toward the warehouse, and Harry's heart began to
throb heavily. He knew that Sherburne's words would soon come true.
CHAPTER II
THE FOOT CAVALRY

Captain Sherburne told Captain McGee that the invaders were coming,
and there was a stir in the ranks of the defenders. The cavalrymen,
disciplined and eager, said nothing, but merely moved a little in order
to see better along the road over which the enemy was advancing. The
original defenders, who were infantry, talked in whispers, despite
commands, and exchanged doubts and apprehensions.
Harry walked up and down in front of the warehouse with Captain
Sherburne, and both watched the road.
"If we only had a little