"
"I hope so. Two days are enough for any battle."
Pennington's tone was jocular, but his words were not. His face was
grave as he regarded the opposing forest. He had the feeling of youth
that others might be killed, but not he. Nevertheless he was already
mourning many a good comrade who would be lost before the night came
again.
"There are the wasps!" said Warner, bending a listening ear. "You can
always hear them as they begin to sting. I wonder if skirmishers ever
sleep?"
The shots were on the right, but they came from points far away. In
front of them the forest and hills were silent.
"It's just as General Thomas thought," said Dick. "The main volume of
their attack will be on our right and center. They know that Thomas
stands here and that he's a mighty rock, hard to move. They expect to
shatter all the rest of the line, and then whirl and annihilate us."
"Let 'em come!" exclaimed Warner, with heightening color. "Who's afraid?"
The dawn was spreading. The heavy mists that hung over the Chickamauga
floated away. All the east was silver, and the darkness rolled back like
a blanket.
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