"It will take five or six days to reach Cassville. Shall I tell Mac to meet you immediately on your arrival?"
"Tell him to camp near Wilson's creek, and await orders. If the army of the federals advance as they have done, that is, only one division several days' march ahead, I shall attack them at Springfield. I was a fool that I did not meet them at Warsaw, when they were thus situated."
"Fremont will be in the advance, I suppose?"
"Yes, with his famous body-guard, and the division under Sigel, in all about eight thousand. I long to meet Sigel again, and that famous body-guard."
"I believe the friend of Mac is an officer in a battalion also acting as the body-guard of Fremont."
"What battalion is that?" asked Price.
"I believe they are called the Benton cadets."
"Ah! yes. I am expecting a messenger here every moment, with the description of all the officers attached to Fremont, and among them is a captain belonging to the cadets, whom I am anxious to meet."
"What is his name?" asked Hayward.
"His name is Harry Hayward! senior captain of the battalion."