“I should like to go into Richmond with you some dark night,” said Dick, who hid a strong spirit of adventure under his quiet exterior.

“You’re not serious, Lieutenant Mason?”

“I wasn’t, maybe, when I began to say it, but I believe I am now.  Why shouldn’t I be curious about Richmond, a place that great armies have been trying to take for three years?  Just at present it’s the center of the world to me in interest.”

“You must not think of such a thing, Mr. Mason.  Detection means certain death.”

“No more for me than for you.”

“But I have had a long experience and I have resources of which you can’t know.  Don’t think of it again, Mr. Mason.”

“I was merely jesting.  I won’t,” said Dick.

He involuntarily looked toward the point beyond the horizon where Richmond lay, and Shepard meanwhile studied him closely.  Young Mason had not come much under his notice until lately, but now he began to interest the spy greatly.  Shepard observed what a strong, well-built young fellow he was, tall and slender but extremely muscular.  He also bore a marked resemblance to his cousin, Harry Kenton, and such was the quality of Shepard that the likeness strongly recommended Dick to him.  Moreover, he read the lurking thought that persisted in Dick’s mind.

“You mustn’t dream of such a thing as entering Richmond, Mr. Mason,” he said.

“It was just a passing thought.  But aren’t you going in again?”

“Later on, no doubt, but not just now.  I understand that we’re planning some movement.  I don’t know what it is, but I’m to wait here until it’s over.  Good-by, Mr. Mason.  Since things are closing in it’s possible that you and I will see more of each other than before.”

“Of course, when I’m personally conducted by you on that trip into Richmond.”

Shepard, who had left the portico, turned and shook a warning finger.

“Dismiss that absolutely and forever from your mind, Mr. Mason,” he said.

Dick laughed, and watched the stalwart figure of the spy as he strode away.  Again the singular ease and lightness of his step struck him.  To the lad’s fancy the grass did not bend under his feet.  Upon Dick as upon Harry, Shepard made the impression of power, not only of strength but of subtlety and courage.

“I’m glad that man’s on our side,” said Dick to himself, as Shepard’s figure disappeared among the trees.  Then he left the portico and went down in the valley to Colonel Winchester’s regiment, where he was received with joyous shouts by several young men, including Warner and Pennington, who had gone on before.  Colonel Winchester himself smiled and nodded, and Dick saluted respectfully.

The Winchesters, as they loved to call themselves, were faring well at this particular time.  Like the Invincibles on the other side, this regiment had been decimated and filled up again several times.  It had lost heavily in the Wilderness and at Spottsylvania, but its colonel had escaped without serious hurt and had received special mention for gallantry and coolness.  It had been cut up once more at Cold Harbor, and because of its great services and losses it was permitted to remain a while in the rear as a reserve, and obtain the rest it needed so sorely.