They knew that Major Hertford would push forward at all speed to join Thomas, whom they could now locate without much difficulty.

Jarvis and Ike had resumed their fence-mending, but when the trees hid the valley from them a mighty, rolling song came to the ears of Dick, Warner and the sergeant: They bore him away when the day had fled, And the storm was rolling high, And they laid him down in his lonely bed By the light of an angry sky.
The lightning flashed, and the wild sea lashed The shore with its foaming wave, And the thunder passed on the rushing blast As it howled o'er the rover's grave.
"That man's no fool," said Dick.
"No, he ain't," said the sergeant, with decision, "nor is that nephew Ike of his that he calls a lunkhead.

Did you notice, Mr.Mason, that the boy never spoke a word while we was there?
Them that don't say anything never have anything to take back." They rode hard now, and soon reached Major Hertford with their news.

On the third day thereafter they entered a strong Union camp, commanded by a man named Garfield, the young officer who had won the victory at Middle Creek..