“But, sir, I’ve heard that the people of Philadelphia are mostly Quakers, very sober in dress and manner.”

“Harry, my lad, when you’ve lived as long as I have you will know that a merry heart may beat beneath a plain brown dress, and that an ugly hood cannot wholly hide a sweet and saucy face.  The girls—­God bless ’em—­ have been the same in all lands since the world began, and will continue so to the end.  While this war is on you boys cannot go a-courting, either in the North or South.  Am I not right, Hector, old friend?”

“Right, as always, Leonidas.  I perceive, though, that the sun is about to set; not a new thing, I admit, but we must not delay our young friends, when the general perhaps needs them.”

“Well spoken again, Hector.  You are an unfailing fount of wisdom.  Good night, my brave lads.  Not many of the Invincibles are left, but every one of them is a true friend of you both.”

As they rode across the darkening fields Harry and Dalton knew that the colonel spoke the truth about the Invincibles.

“I like a faith such as theirs,” said Dalton.

“Yes, it can often turn defeat into real victory.”

They quickly found the general’s headquarters, and as usual, whenever the weather permitted, he had made arrangements to sleep in the open air, his blankets spread upon soft boughs.  Harry and Dalton, having slept all day, would be on night duty, and after supper they sat at a little distance, awaiting orders.

Coolness had come with the dark.  A good moon and swarms of bright stars rode in the heavens, turning the skies to misty silver, and softening the scars of the army, which now lay encamped over a great space.  Lee was talking with Stuart, who evidently had just arrived from a swift ride, as an orderly near by was holding his horse, covered with foam.  The famous cavalryman was clothed in his gorgeous best.  His hat was heavy with gold braid, and the broad sash about his waist was heavy with gold, also.  Dandy he was, but brilliant cavalryman and great soldier too!  Both friend and foe had said so.

Harry, sitting on the grass, with his back against a tree, watched the two generals as they talked long and earnestly.  Now and then Stuart nervously switched the tops of his own high riding boots with the little whip that he carried, but the face of Lee, revealed clearly in the near twilight, remained grave and impassive.

After a long while Stuart mounted and rode away, and Sherburne, who had been sitting among the trees on the far side of the fire, came over and joined Harry and Dalton.  He too was very grave.

“Do you know what has happened?” he said in a low tone to the two lads.

“Yes, there was a big battle at Gettysburg, and as we failed to win it we’re now retreating,” replied Harry.

“That’s true as far as it goes, but it’s not all.  We’ve heard—­and the news is correct beyond a doubt—­that Grant has taken Vicksburg and Pemberton’s army with it.”