as the Yankees, learning that we were in the country, began to assemble
in great force. They tried to prevent our crossing the Monocacy River,
and we had a sharp fight, but we drove them off before they could get up
a big enough force to hold us. Then we came on, forded the Potomac and
got back after having made an entire circuit of McClellan's army."

"What a ride!" exclaimed St. Clair, his eyes sparkling. "I wish I had
been with you. It would have been something to talk about."

"We did stir 'em up," said Sherburne with pardonable pride, "and we got
a lot of information, too, some of it beyond price. We've learned that
there will be no more attempts on Richmond by sea. The Yankee armies
will come across Virginia soil or not at all."

"I imagine McClellan won't be in any hurry to cross the Potomac,"
said Harry. "He certainly got us into a hot corner at Antietam, and
if the reports are true he had plenty of time to come up and wipe out
General Lee's whole force, while Old Jack was tied up at Harper's Ferry.
They feel that way about McClellan in the North, too. I've got an
old Philadelphia newspaper and I'll read to you part of a poem that's
reprinted in it. The poem is called 'Tardy George.' Listen:

"What are you waiting for, George, I pray?
To scour your cross belts with fresh pipe clay?
To burnish your buttons, to brighten your guns?
Or wait for May-day, and warm spring suns?
Are you blowing your fingers because they're cold,
Or catching your breath ere you take a hold?
Is the mud knee-deep in valley and gorge?
What are you waiting for, Tardy George?"