Now, my figures show me that the chance of death here in the war is only
twenty-five per cent greater than it was at home, but physical activity
and an open air continuously increase my life chances thirty-five per
cent. So, I make a net life gain of ten per cent."

Whitley put his hand upon Warner's shoulder.

"Boy," he said, "you're wonderful. I can cheer up the lads by talkin'
of the good things to come, but you can prove by arithmetic, algebra an'
every other kind of mathematics that they're bound to come. You're
goin' to be worth a lot wherever you are."

"Thanks for your enconiums. In any event we are gaining valuable
experience. Back there on the field of Bull Run I was able to
demonstrate by my own hearing and imagination that a hundred thousand
rebels could fire a million bullets a minute; that every one of those
million bullets filled with a mortal spite against me was seeking my
own particular person."

Whitley gazed at him again with admiration.

"You've certainly got a wonderful fine big bag of words," he said,
"an' whenever you need any you just reach in an' take out a few a foot
long or so. But I reckon a lot of others felt the way you did, though
they won't admit it now. Look, we're nearly to Washington now. See the
dome of the Capitol over the trees there, an' I can catch glimpses of
roofs too."

Dick and George also saw the capital, and cheered by the sight, they
marched at a swifter gait. Soon they turned into the main road, where