"A Yankee failure so far, Harry," said Colonel Leonidas Talbot. "The
bridge has advanced no further, and I should say that our shore is now
enriched by about fifty thousand pounds of steel hurled from those
batteries and with little harm to us."

"I've no doubt you're right, sir," said Harry, "and now that a period of
rest has come, I shall hurry back to General Jackson, who may need me to
carry some order."

"A moment, please, Harry, my boy," said Colonel Talbot, twirling his
mustaches. "You are near to General Jackson, of course, being his
personal aide. If it should fall out conveniently, would you do myself
and my most excellent friend and second, Lieutenant-Colonel St. Hilaire,
a small favor?"

"Of course, Colonel. Gladly. What is it?"

"If the enemy should cross the river, as he probably will, and if you
should be near enough to Lieutenant-General Thomas Jonathan Jackson,
and if the moment should be propitious, would you kindly whisper in
his ear that the skeleton regiment, known as the Invincibles, Leonidas
Talbot, Colonel, and Hector St. Hilaire, Lieutenant-Colonel, would be
overjoyed at the honor of leading the attack upon the intrusive and
invading Yankee army?"

"Promise, Harry, promise!" seconded Lieutenant-Colonel Hector
St. Hilaire in his softest and most persuasive South Carolina accent.
"You really owe that to us."