“Yes. You pass in the cavalry by the name of the ‘man before the battle,’ for you always turn up then.”
Mr. Nighthawk smiled.
“I try to give you information, general; and perhaps I have some news. But first of my visits to Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, where I saw many of our friends.”
And in his low, quiet voice Mr. Nighthawk, who had taken a seat and smoothed down his white cravat, proceeded to speak of his travels and what he had seen.
The narrative astounded me. He spoke without reserve, for General Stuart had informed him that he might do so before me; and I was startled to find the number of private friends the South had in the North. Mr. Nighthawk was evidently au fait at his trade. He had a perfect understanding plainly with persons of the highest political position; and Stuart listened with the greatest interest to the speaker, whose low voice never rose above the half-whisper by which I had been impressed on his first opening his lips.
“So the summing up of all this,” said Stuart, “that our friends are not too hopeful?”
“They are not, general.”
“They say Lee must win a great victory on the soil of Pennsylvania?”
“Yes, general. Without it there is no hope of peace, they declare.”
“Well, I think they are right; and that we shall gain the victory.”