"It's all right, sergeant; you may send him up. Mr. Williams," he
continued, to his comrade, "will you please to look about a little and
see that all is in order. I will speak a few words with this messenger."

The lieutenant and sergeant left the room, and presently afterward there
entered, closing the door carefully after him, no less a personage than
Seth Rawbon.

"You're late," said Philip, motioning him to a chair.

"There's an old proverb to answer that," answered Rawbon, as he
leisurely adjusted his lank frame upon the seat. Having established
himself to his satisfaction, he continued:

"I had to make a considerable circuit to avoid the returning picket, who
might have bothered me with questions. I'm in good time, though. If
you've made up your mind to go, you'll do it as well by night, and safer
too."

"What have you learned?"

"Enough to make me welcome at headquarters. You were right about the
battle. There'll be tough work soon. They're fixing for a general
advance. If you expect to do your first fighting under the stars and
bars, you must swear by them to-night."

"Have you been in Washington?"

"Every nook and corner of it. They don't keep their eyes skinned, I
fancy, up there. Your fancy colonels have slippery tongues when the