Already this general,
so bold in design and so great in preparation was making excuses for
possible failure in action--if he failed his men and not he would be to
blame.
CHAPTER VIII
THE DUEL IN THE PASS
Dick carried the news to Pennington who danced with delight.
"We've got 'em! we've got 'em!" he cried over and over again.
"So we have," said Dick, "we'll be marching in a half hour and then the
trap will shut down so tight on Robert Lee that he'll never raise the lid
again."
It was nearly noon, and they expected every moment the order to start,
but it did not come. Dick began to be tormented by an astonished
impatience, and he saw that Colonel Winchester suffered in the same way.
The army showed no signs of moving. Was it possible that McClellan would
not advance at once on Lee, whom the scouts had now located definitely?
The hot afternoon hours grew long as they passed one by one, and many a
brave man ate his heart out with anger at the delay. Dick saw Sergeant
Whitley walking up and down, and he was eager to hear his opinion.
"What is it, sergeant?" he asked.
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