Their part was action, and they were waiting to see what the little Opequan would disclose to them.
"Do you think they'll have a big force at the river ?" asked Pennington.
"No," replied Dick.

"I fancy from what we've heard of Early's army that he won't have the men to spare." "But we can look for a brush there," said Warner.
The night began to darken as a premonition of the coming dawn, a veil of vapor was drawn before the stars, trees blended together and the air became chill.

Then the vapor was pierced in the east by a lance of light.

The rift widened, and the pale light of the first dawn appeared over the hills.

Dick, using his glasses, saw a flash which he knew was the Opequan.