considerably. The ice in the river broke, the melting snows made the
country a sea of mud and slush and horses often became mired so deeply
that it took a dozen soldiers to drag them out again. It was on such a
day as this that Dalton came to him, his grave face wearing a look of
importance.

"General Jackson has just told me," he said, "to take you and join
General Stuart, who is going with his horse to the neighborhood of Port
Royal on the river."

"What's up?"

"Nothing's up yet. But we understand that some of the Yankee gunboats
are trying to get up, now that they have a clear passage through the
ice."

"Cavalry can't stop them."

"No, but Stuart is taking horse artillery with him, and he's likely to
make it warm for the enemy in the water. Harry, if we only had a navy,
too, this war wouldn't be doubtful."

"But, as we haven't got a navy, it is doubtful, very doubtful."

They quickly joined General Stuart, who was eager for the duty, and
falling in line with the troop of Sherburne rode swiftly toward Port
Royal, the cavalrymen carrying with them several light guns.

As they galloped along, mixed mud and snow flew in every direction,
but most of them had grown so used to it that they paid little