But there were shrewd minds in Milroy’s command. The Western men knew many devices of battle and the trail, and Milroy was desperately bent upon saving his force, which he knew would be overwhelmed, if overtaken by Jackson’s army. Now he had recourse to a singular device.
Harry, riding with Captain Sherburne, noticed that the trees were dry despite the recent rains. On the slopes of the mountains the water ran off fast, and the thickets were dry also. Then he saw a red light in the forest in front of them. General Jackson saw it at the same time.
“What is that?” he exclaimed.
“It looks like a forest fire, general,” replied Sherburne.
“You’re right, captain, and it’s growing.”
As they galloped forward they saw the red light expand rapidly and spread directly across their path. The whole forest was on fire. Great flames rose up the trunks of trees and leaped from bough to bough. Sparks flew in millions and vast clouds of smoke, picked up by the wind, were whirled in their faces.
The troop of cavalry was compelled to pause and General Jackson, brushing the smoke from his eyes, said:
“Clever! very clever! Milroy has put a fiery wall between us.”
The device was a complete success. The pursuing men in gray could pass around the fire at points, and wait at other points for it to burn out, but they lost so much time that their cavalry were able only to skirmish with the Northern rear guard. Then when night came on Milroy escaped under cover of the thick and smoky darkness.
Harry slept on the ground that night, but the precious cloak was around him. He slept beyond the dawn as the pursuit was now abandoned, but when he arose smoke was still floating over the valley and the burned forests. He was stiff and sore, but the fierce hunger that assailed him made him forget the aching of his bones. He had eaten nothing for thirty-six hours. He had forgotten until then that there was such a thing as food. But the sight of Langdon holding a piece of frying bacon on a stick afflicted him with a raging desire.
“Give me that bacon, Tom,” he cried, “or I’ll set the rest of the forest on fire!”
“No need, you old war-horse. I was just bringing it to you. There’s plenty more where this came from. The foot cavalry took it at McDowell, and like the wise boys they are brought it on with them. Come and join us. Your general is already riding a bit up the valley, and, as he didn’t call you, it follows that he doesn’t want you.”
Harry followed him gladly. The Invincibles had found a good place, and were cooking a solid breakfast. They had bacon and ham and coffee and bread in abundance, and for a while there was a great eating and drinking.
To youth which had marched and fought without food it was not a breakfast. It was a banquet and a feast. Young frames which recover quickly responded at once. Now and then, the musical clatter of iron spoons and knives on iron cups and plates was broken by deep sighs of satisfaction. But they did not speak for a while. There was lost time to be made up, and they did not know when they would get another such chance-the odds were always against it.
“Enough is enough,” said Langdon at last. “It took a lot to make enough, but it’s enough. You have to be a soldier, Harry, to appreciate what it is to eat, sleep and rest. I’m willing to wager my uniform against a last winter’s snowball that we don’t get another such meal in a month. Old Jack won’t let us.”
“To my mind,” said St. Clair, “we’re going right into the middle of big things. We’ve chased the Yankees out of the mountains into the valley, and we’ll follow hot on their heels. We’ve already learned enough of General Jackson to know that he doesn’t linger.”
“Linger!” exclaimed Langdon indignantly. “Even if there was no fighting to be done he’d march us from one end of the valley to the other just to keep us in practice. Hear that bugle! Off we go! Five minutes to get ready! Or maybe it is only three!”