“Ho! who rides there?
The tramp of hoof, the flash of steel——
The rebels round them coming.”
And they turned to the right, and rode along the edge of the forest for some four or five miles, when they saw approaching them from the opposite direction a body of horsemen.
“That must be a detachment of our cavalry, Wing. What do you think?”
“I think it is, sir. But I can’t be sure yet. The clouds of dust prevent my seeing them clearly,” answered the boy.
“And then they are so far off. Let me see,” said the Colonel, taking out his field-glass and “sighting” the approaching party.
“I am nearly sure they are our men, sir,” said Hay, speaking for the first time.
“Yes, it is a detachment of the cavalry now stationed at W. What is afoot, I wonder?” exclaimed the Colonel putting spurs to his horse and galloping forward to meet the advancing party.
The officer in command of the squadron rode out to receive him.