“And what have they on their left?” asked Harry.  “Do you know that, too?”

“Of course.  General Crook with two divisions is there.  He has Cedar Creek in front of him, and on his own left the north fork of the Shenandoah.  He’s considerably in front of the main Union force, and they haven’t posted much of a picket line.”

“I suppose they’re relying upon the natural strength of the ground.”

“That’s it, I take it, but we may give them a surprise.”

Harry and Dalton used their glasses and far to the north they saw dim figures, not larger than toys.  At first view they appeared to be stationary, but, as the eyes became used to the distance, Harry knew they were moving.  Apparently they were infantry going toward the Union right, where danger was feared, and he felt a grim satisfaction in knowing that the real danger lay on their left.  But could Early with his small numbers, with the habit now of defeat, make any impression upon the large Union armies flushed with victories?

Harry wondered if Dick was among those moving troops, but his second thought told him it was not likely.  They had learned from spies that the Winchester regiment was mounted, and in all probability it was part of the cavalry that had gone north with Sheridan.  But he thought again how strange it was that the two should have been face to face at the Second Manassas, and then after a wide separation, involving so many great battles and marches, should come here into the Valley of Virginia, face to face once more.

Mortimer and his assistants presently began to manipulate the flags again, and Confederate signalmen, on a far peak, replied.  Harry and St. Clair watched them with all the curiosity that a mystery inspires.

“Can we ask again,” said Harry, when they had finished, “what you fellows were saying?”

Mortimer laughed.

“It was a quick dialogue,” he replied, “but it was intended for the Yankees down in the valley, who, we learn, have deciphered some of our signals.  I said to Strother on the other peak:  ‘Six thousand?’ He replied:  ‘No, eight thousand!’ I said:  ’In center or on their right flank?’ He replied:  ‘On their right flank.’  I said:  ’Two thousand fresh horses?’ He replied:  ‘Nearer twenty-five hundred.’  I said:  ’Five hundred fresh beeves from the other side of the Blue Ridge.’  He replied:  ’Great news, we need ’em!’ I wish it was true, but it will set our Yankee friends to thinking.”

“I see.  Your talk was meant to fool the Yankees.”

“Yes, and we need to fool ’em as much as we can.  It’s a daring venture that we’re entering upon, but it’s great luck for us to have Sheridan away.  It looks like a good omen to me.”

“And to me, too.  We used to say that Old Jack was an army corps, and he was, two of them for that matter.  Then Sheridan is worth at least ten thousand men to the Yankees.  Good-by, we’d like to see more of your work with the flags, but down below they need Captain St. Clair, who is a terrible fighter.  We can’t hope to beat the Yankees with St. Clair away.”