It was necessary the boy should linger in camp several moments in order to learn the exact whereabouts of the other detachments; but once this had been done, he set off at full speed, and twenty minutes later reined in his horse as a familiar voice cried:
"Halt! Who goes there?"
"A messenger from the commander-in-chief to General Dickinson. Why, is that you, Seth?"
"I ought to be pretty certain of the fact after tramping up and down here for the last two hours," Master Graydon replied grimly as Enoch leaped from his horse. "I shall be off duty in ten minutes, though, which is more than you can say, I reckon, even if you are an aid to the commander-in-chief."
"Now, Seth, don't keep ringing the changes on that. You know I want to be with you and Jacob; but there doesn't seem much chance of accomplishing my purpose before the battle."
"Then you believe we are really to have one?"
"I think it is bound to come to-morrow."
"But to-morrow is Sunday," Seth exclaimed, as if doubting whether armies would meet in conflict on the Sabbath.
"I don't believe they keep run of the days of the week in a time of war. Where are General Maxwell's quarters?"
"He hasn't had any to speak of for quite a spell. If you want to see him, though, he was lying under the same tree with General Dickinson when I saw him last."