He listened eagerly for the sounds of pursuit, but the long hours passed
and he heard nothing. The rear guard did not talk. The men wasted no
strength that way, but marched stolidly on in the moonlight. Midnight
passed and after a while it grew darker. Colonel Winchester and his
young officers rode at the very rear, and Pennington suddenly held up his
hand.
"What is it?" asked Colonel Winchester.
"Somebody following us, sir. I was trained out on the plains to take
notice of such things. May I get down and put my ear to the ground?
I may look ridiculous, sir, but I can make sure."
"Certainly. Go ahead."
Pennington sprang down and put his ear to the road. He did not listen
long, but when he stood up again he said:
"Horsemen are coming. I can't tell how many, but several hundreds at
least."
"As we're the very last of our own army, they must be Southern cavalry,"
said Colonel Winchester. "If they want to attack, I dare say our boys
are willing."
Very soon they heard clearly the gallop of the cavalry, and the men heard
it also. They looked up and turned their faces toward those who must
be foes.
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