head　of　his　regiment　he　was　always　ready　to　lift　up　his　voice　and
  lead　the　songs　with　which　the　men　made　the　woods　resound。
  He　seemed　to　live　in　his　saddle；　and　was　present　at　all　hours　of　the
  night　and　day　along　the　line　he　guarded　seeing　that　the　men　were
  watchful　and　on　the　alert；　instructing　the　outposts　in　their　duty；　and
  infusing　his　own　spirit　and　vigilance　among　them。　　He　had　been
  educated　at　West　Point；　and　had　seen　much　service　with　the
  cavalry　against　the　Indians　in　the　West。　　Such　was　the　man　who
  was　to　become　the　most　famous　cavalry　leader　of　his　time。　So　far
  he　had　not　come　in　contact　with　the　enemy；　and　his　duties　were
  confined　to　obtaining　information　regarding　their　strength　and
  intentions；　to　watching　every　road　by　which　they　could　advance；
  and　to　seeing　that　none　passed　north　to　carry　information　to　the
  enemy　as　to　the　Confederate　strength　and　positions；　for　even　in　the
  Shenandoah　Valley　there　were　some　whose　sympathies　were　with
  the　Federals。
  These　were　principally　Northern　men　settled　as　traders　in　the
  towns；　and　it　was　important　to　prevent　them　from　sending　any
  news　to　the　enemy。　　So　well　did　Stuart's　cavalry　perform　this
  service；　and　so　general　was　the　hostility　of　the　population　against
  the　North；　that　throughout　the　whole　of　the　war　in　Virginia　it　was
  very　seldom　that　the　Northern　generals　could　obtain　any
  trustworthy　information　as　to　the　movements　and　strength　of　the
  Confederates；　while　the　latter　were　perfectly　informed　of　every
  detail　connected　with　the　intentions　of　the　invaders。
  The　next　morning　Ashley's　troop　took　up　their　share　of　the　work　at
  the　front。　　They　were　broken　up　into　parties　of　ten；　each　of　which
  was　stationed　at　a　village　near　the　river；　five　men　being　on　duty
  night　and　day。　　As　it　happened　that　none　of　the　other　men　in　his
  squad　had　a　servant　at　the　front；　Vincent　was　able　without
  difficulty　te　have　Dan　assigned　to　his　party。　　A　house　in　the　village
  was　placed　at　their　disposal；　and　here　the　five　off　duty　slept　and
  took　their　meals　while　the　others　were　in　the　saddle。　　Dan　was
  quite　in　his　element；　and　turned　out　an　excellent　cook；　and　was
  soon　a　general　favorite　among　the　mess。
  CHAPTER　VI。　BULL　RUN。
  THE　NEXT　fortnight　passed　by　without　adventure。　Hard　as　the
  work　was；　Vincent　enjoyed　it　thoroughly。　When　on　duty　by　day　he
  was　constantly　on　the　move；　riding　through　the　forest；　following
  country　lanes；　questioning　every　one　he　came　across；　and　as　the
  men　always　worked　in　pairs；　there　was　no　feeling　of　loneliness。
  Sometimes　Ashley　would　draw　together　a　score　of　troopers；　and
  crossing　the　river　in　a　ferryboat；　would　ride　twenty　miles　north；
  and；　dashing　into　quiet　villages；　astonish　the　inhabitants　by　the
  sight　of　the　Confederate　uniform。　　Then　the　villagers　would　be
  questioned　as　to　the　news　that　had　reached　them　of　the　movement
  of　the　troops；　the　post　office　would　be　seized　and　the　letters
  broken　open；　any　useful　…information　contained　in　them　being
  noted。　　But　in　general　questions　were　readily　answered；　for　a
  considerable　portion　of　the　people　of　Maryland　were　strongly　in
  favor　of　the　South；　and　were　only　prevented　from　joining　it　by　the
  strong　force　that　held　possession　of　Baltimore；　and　by　the　constant
  movement　of　Federal　armies　through　the　State。　　Vincent　was　often
  employed　in　carrying　despatches　from　Major　Ashley　to　Stuart；
  being　selected　for　that　duty　as　being　the　best　mounted　man　in　the
  troop。　　The　direction　was　always　a　vague　one。　　〃Take　this　letter　to
  Colonel　Stuart；　wherever　lie　may　be；〃　and　however　early　he
  started；　Vincent　thought　himself　fortunate　if　he　carried　out　his
  mission　before　sunset；　for　Stuart's　front　covered　over　fifty　miles　of
  ground；　and　there　was　no　saying　where　he　might　be。　　Sometimes
  after　riding　thirty　or　forty　miles；　and　getting　occasional　news　that
  Stuart　had　passed　through　ahead　of　him；　he　would　learn　from　some
  outpost　that　the　colonel　had　been　there　but　ten　minutes　before；　and
  had　ridden　off　before　he　came；　and　then　Vincent　had　to　turn　his
  horse　and　gallop　back　again；　seldom　succeeding　in　over…taking　his
  active　commander　until　the　latter　had　halted　for　his　supper　at　one
  or　other　of　the　villages　where　his　men　were　stationed。　　Sometimes
  by　good　luck　he　came　upon　him　earlier；　and　then；　after　reading　the
  despatch；　Stuart　would；　if　he　were　riding　in　the　direction　where
  Ashley's　command　lay；　bid　him　ride　on　with　him；　and　would　chat
  with　him　on　terms　of　friendly　intimacy　about　people　they　both
  knew　at　Richmond；　or　as　to　the　details　of　his　work；　and　sometimes
  they　would　sit　down　together　under　the　shade　of　some　trees；　take
  out　the　contents　of　their　haversacks；　and　share　their　dinners。
  This　is　the　second　time　I　have　had　the　best　of　this；〃　the　colonel
  laughed　one　day；　〃my　beef　is　as　bard　as　leather；　and　this　cold
  chicken　of　yours　is　as　plump　and　tender　as　one　could　wish　to　eat。〃
  〃I　have　my　own　boy；　colonel；　who　looks　after　the　ten　of　us
  stationed　at　Elmside；　and　I　fancy　that　in　the　matter　of　cold　rations
  he　gives　me　an　undue　preference。　　He　always　hands　me　my
  haversack　when　I　mount　with　a　grin；　and　I　quite　understand　that　it
  is　better　I　should　ask　no　questions　as　to　its　contents。〃
  〃Yen　are　a　lucky　fellow；〃　Stuart　said。　　〃My　own　servant　is　a　good
  man；　and　would　do　anything　for　me；　but　my　irregular　hours　are　too
  much　for　him。　　He　never　knows　when　to　expect　me；　and　as　he
  often　finds　that　when　I　do　return　I　have　made　a　meal　an　hour
  before　at　one　of　the　outposts；　and　do　not　want　the　food　he　has　for
  hours　been　carefully　keeping　hot　for　me；　it　drives　him　almost　to
  despair；　and　I　have　sometimes　been　obliged　to　eat　rather　than
  disappoint　him。　　But　he　certainly　has　not　a　genius　for　cooking；　and
  were　it　not　that　this　riding　gives　one　the　appetite　of　a　hunter；　I
  should　often　have　a　good　deal　of　difficulty　in　devouring　the　meat
  he　puts　into　my　haversack。〃
  But　the　enemy　were　now　really　advancing；　and　on　the　12th　of　June
  a　trooper　rode　in　from　the　extreme　left；　and　handed　to　Vincent　a
  despatch　from　Colonel　Stuart。
  〃My　orders　were；〃　he　said；　〃that；　if　you　were　here；　you　were　to
  carry　this　on　at　all　speed　to　General　Johnston。　　If　not；　some　one
  else　was　to　take　it　on。〃
  〃Any　news？〃　Vincent　asked；　as　aided　by　Dan　he　rapidly　saddled
  Wildfire。
  〃Yes；〃　the　soldier　said；　〃2；000　of　the　enemy　have　advanced　up　the
  Western　side　and　have　occupied　Romney；　and　they　say　that　all
  Patterson's　force　is　on　the　move。〃
  〃So　much　the　better；〃　Vincent　replied；　as　he　jumped　into　the
  saddle。　　〃　We　have　been　doing　nothing　long　enough；　and　the
  sooner　it　comes　the　better。〃
  It　was　a　fifty…mile　ride；　but　it　was　done　in　five　hours；　and　at　the
  end　of　that　time　Vincent　dismounted　in　front　of　General　Johnston's
  quarters。
  〃Is　the　general　in？〃　he　asked　the　sentry　at　the　door。
  〃No；　he　is　not　in；　but　here　he　comes；〃　the　soldier　replied；　and　two
  minutes　later　the　general；　accompanied　by　three　or　four　officers；
  rode　up。
  Vincent　saluted；　and　handed　him　the　despatch。　　The　general
  opened　it　and　glanced　at　the　contents。
  〃The　storm　is　going　to　burst　at　last；　gentlemen；〃　he　said　to　the
  officers。　　〃Stuart　writes　me　that　2；000　men；　supposed　to　be　the
  advance　of　McClellan's　army；　are　at　Romney；　and　that　he　hears
  Patterson　is　also　advancing　from　Chambersburg　on　Williamsport。
  His　despatch　is　dated　this　morning　at　nine　o'clock。　　He　writes　from
  near　Cumberland。　　No　time　has　been　lost；　for　that　is　eighty　miles
  away；　and　it　is　but　five　o'clock　now。　　How　far　have　you　brought
  this　despatch；　sir？〃
  〃I　have　brought　it　from　Elmside；　general；　twenty　miles　on　the　other
  side　of　Bath。　　A　trooper　brought　it　in　just　at　midday；　with　orders
  for　me　to　carry　it　on　at　once。〃
  〃That　is　good　work；〃　the　general　said。　　〃You　have　ridden　over　fifty
  miles　in　five　hours。　　You　must　be　well　mounted；　sir。〃
  〃I　do　not　think　there　is　a　better　horse　in　the　State；〃　Vincent　said；
  patting　Wildfire's　neck。
  The　general　called　an　orderly。
  〃Let　this　man　picket　his　horse　with　those　of　the　staff；〃　he　said；　〃and
  see　that　it　has　forage　at　once。　　Take　the　man　to　the　orderly's
  quarters；　and　see　that　he　is　well　cared　for。〃
  Vincent　saluted；　and；　leading　Wildfire；　followed　the　orderly。
  When　he　had　had　a　meal；　he　strolled　out　to　see　what　was　going　on。
  Evidently　some　movement　was　in　contemplation。　　Officers　were
  riding　up　or　dashing　off　from　the　general's　headquarters。　　Two　or
  three　regiments　were　seen　marching　down　from　the　plateau　on
  which　they　were　encamped　into　the　town。　　Bells　rang　and　drums
  beat；　and　presently　long　trains　of　railway　wagons；　heavily　laden；
  began　to　make　their　way　across　the　bridge。　　Until　next　morning　the
  movement　continued　unceasingly；　by　that　time　all　the　military
  stores　and　public　property；　together　with　as　much　private　property
  belonging　to　inhabitants　who　had　decided　to　forsake　their　homes
  for　a　time　rather　than　to　remain　there　wh