The generals and their staffs had taken up their quarters in the villages.

Vincent had received accurate instructions from his hostess as to the position of the various villages, and avoided them carefully, for he did not want to sell out his stock immediately.
He had indeed stowed two of the fowls away in his pocket, so that, in case anyone insisted upon buying up all his stock, he could place these in his basket and still push on.
He avoided the camps as much as he could.

He could see the smoke rising in front of him, and the roar of guns was now close at hand.

He saw on his right an elevated piece of ground, from which a good view could be obtained of the fortifications upon which the Federals were working.

A camp had been pitched there, and a large tent near the summit showed that some officer of superior rank had his quarters here.