THE NEXT fortnight passed by without adventure.Hard as the work was, Vincent enjoyed it thoroughly.When on duty by day he was constantly on the move, riding through the forest, following country lanes, questioning every one he came across; and as the men always worked in pairs, there was no feeling of loneliness.
Sometimes Ashley would draw together a score of troopers, and crossing the river in a ferryboat, would ride twenty miles north, and, dashing into quiet villages, astonish the inhabitants by the sight of the Confederate uniform.Then the villagers would be questioned as to the news that had reached them of the movement of the troops; the post office would be seized and the letters broken open; any useful -information contained in them being noted.But in general questions were readily answered; for a considerable portion of the people of Maryland were strongly in favor of the South, and were only prevented from joining it by the strong force that held possession of Baltimore, and by the constant movement of Federal armies through the State.Vincent was often employed in carrying despatches from Major Ashley to Stuart, being selected for that duty as being the best mounted man in the troop.The direction was always a vague one."Take this letter to Colonel Stuart, wherever lie may be," and however early he started, Vincent thought himself fortunate if he carried out his mission before sunset; for Stuart's front covered over fifty miles of ground, and there was no saying where he might be.Sometimes after riding thirty or forty miles, and getting occasional news that Stuart had passed through ahead of him, he would learn from some outpost that the colonel had been there but ten minutes before, and had ridden off before he came, and then Vincent had to turn his horse and gallop back again, seldom succeeding in over-taking his active commander until the latter had halted for his supper at one or other of the villages where his men were stationed.Sometimes by good luck he came upon him earlier, and then, after reading the despatch, Stuart would, if he were riding in the direction where Ashley's command lay, bid him ride on with him, and would chat with him on terms of friendly intimacy about people they both knew at Richmond, or as to the details of his work, and sometimes they would sit down together under the shade of some trees, take out the contents of their haversacks, and share their dinners.
This is the second time I have had the best of this," the colonel laughed one day; "my beef is as bard as leather, and this cold chicken of yours is as plump and tender as one could wish to eat.""I have my own boy, colonel, who looks after the ten of us stationed at Elmside, and I fancy that in the matter of cold rations he gives me an undue preference.He always hands me my haversack when I mount with a grin, and I quite understand that it is better I should ask no questions as to its contents.""Yen are a lucky fellow," Stuart said."My own servant is a good man, and would do anything for me; but my irregular hours are too much for him.He never knows when to expect me; and as he often finds that when I do return I have made a meal an hour before at one of the outposts, and do not want the food he has for hours been carefully keeping hot for me, it drives him almost to despair, and I have sometimes been obliged to eat rather than disappoint him.But he certainly has not a genius for cooking, and were it not that this riding gives one the appetite of a hunter, Ishould often have a good deal of difficulty in devouring the meat he puts into my haversack."But the enemy were now really advancing, and on the 12th of June a trooper rode in from the extreme left, and handed to Vincent a despatch from Colonel Stuart.
"My orders were," he said, "that, if you were here, you were to carry this on at all speed to General Johnston.If not, some one else was to take it on.""Any news?" Vincent asked, as aided by Dan he rapidly saddled Wildfire.
"Yes," the soldier said; "2,000 of the enemy have advanced up the Western side and have occupied Romney, and they say that all Patterson's force is on the move.""So much the better," Vincent replied, as he jumped into the saddle." We have been doing nothing long enough, and the sooner it comes the better."It was a fifty-mile ride; but it was done in five hours, and at the end of that time Vincent dismounted in front of General Johnston's quarters.
"Is the general in?" he asked the sentry at the door.
"No, he is not in; but here he comes," the soldier replied, and two minutes later the general, accompanied by three or four officers, rode up.
Vincent saluted, and handed him the despatch.The general opened it and glanced at the contents.
"The storm is going to burst at last, gentlemen," he said to the officers."Stuart writes me that 2,000 men, supposed to be the advance of McClellan's army, are at Romney, and that he hears Patterson is also advancing from Chambersburg on Williamsport.
His despatch is dated this morning at nine o'clock.He writes from near Cumberland.No time has been lost, for that is eighty miles away, and it is but five o'clock now.How far have you brought this despatch, sir?""I have brought it from Elmside, general; twenty miles on the other side of Bath.A trooper brought it in just at midday, with orders for me to carry it on at once.""That is good work," the general said."You have ridden over fifty miles in five hours.You must be well mounted, sir.""I do not think there is a better horse in the State," Vincent said, patting Wildfire's neck.
The general called an orderly.
"Let this man picket his horse with those of the staff," he said, "and see that it has forage at once.Take the man to the orderly's quarters, and see that he is well cared for."Vincent saluted, and, leading Wildfire, followed the orderly.
When he had had a meal, he strolled out to see what was going on.
