He read it over a second time, and then looking at me, as if he had suddenly solved a problem said: "Didn't he tell you to report direct to the War Department?"
"Yes," I remembered that I was advised to report to the War Department first and not to the newspapers.
"Well," says Mr. Covode, "that's all right; you go up there and find Patterson and present that letter, and he will give you authority to go wherever you please, and you let us know here what's going on."
When I left the old man, I ventured a word as to my prospects for a commission in the regular army, to which he gave the usual answer: "Oh, that's all right," and added—
"Come and see me to-morrow and I'll give you some more letters to some friends in Patterson's army."
After a restless night, I was early at Mr. Covode's room receiving a pleasant good-morning. He said in a confidential whisper, but which was loud enough for any person to have heard had we not been alone in the room:
"I saw some of those people last night, and it is all right." That wasn't very great encouragement to be sure, but, he added with a significant wink, "You go up there at once and find out all you can, and report to me what's going on, particularly if there are any Rebels going to attack Patterson's army," and he added, again with emphasis, "Report to me here, quick as you can."
"Yes, but this letter is to report to General Patterson."
"That's all right; you are to report direct to the War Department, too."
I began to feel considerably mixed up by these contradictory instructions, but all the satisfaction I could get from Mr. C. was—"That's all right," to which he added, as I was leaving, "You tell me all you can find out, and I'll make it all right at the War Department."