Besides, their information about the crossing of the rebels was of no importance either.

The rebels might stay on their side of the Rappahannock, or they might go back.

It was all the same either way.

All things seemed, for the moment, useless to him.
He began to shiver, but after a while he became so hot that he wanted to throw off all the cover.

But he retained enough knowledge and will not to do so, and he sank soon into a feverish doze from which he was awakened by the light of a lantern shining in his face.
He saw Colonel Winchester and another man, a stranger, who held a small leather case in his hand.