“Dad! You know blamed well. I’d ’a’ bit my tongue out sooner’n have called you that if I’d known it was _you_ had a hold of me.” “No hard feelings, son. No hard feelings _ever_ between you and me. Only--you saw I was old. I was fairly certain to be someone’s dad or granddad. Someone wouldn’t relish hearing his dad or granddad called an ‘old fool’ any more than you would. Maybe it’d be well to remember that.” “I--I understand. I’m sorry. Oh, Dad, it’s gorgeous to be with you again. I’ve asked and I’ve looked and I’ve even--” “One second, Jimmie!” Dad turned on the foremost group of the returning Federals. Briefly and clearly he issued a series of orders. Then to a similar approaching group and to a third and to a fourth. Soon the former fighting line was swarming with men at work over the captured guns. Without waiting further, Dad sprang astride a straying troop horse, lifted Jimmie to the saddle in front of him, and set off at a lumbering gallop to render a report to his corps commander. On the way he scarcely spoke, saying only, as they started: “If you and I have any sort of luck, Jimmie, we’ll have plenty of years to tell each other what’s happened since we said good-by that night back at Ideala. “But just this minute we belong to Uncle Sam; and he needs us a lot. Our best, quickest thoughts, most of all. For there’s trouble ahead for the man who isn’t fitted to think it out. “What’s become of my superior officers back there in the woods I don’t know. They’ll show up when the glory is handed out. But just now they’re a trifle scarce. And there may be work for me. I’ve got to do some planning--some mighty tall planning, too.” Presently they drew up at a small, cleared space in the center of the portion of the demi-corps that had not been tossed into the forest charge. Dad dismounted, leaving the horse to an orderly, and, with Jimmie at his side, walked up to the white and wildly excited corps commander. The latter, with his staff, had witnessed through binoculars the hot little charge. The commander was fairly bubbling with questions. “Sir,” formally announced Dad, at attention, “I have to announce that we carried the Confederate position at the edge of the woods yonder, and that we have captured between twenty-eight and thirty cannon of various sizes. The exact list, with those of our losses, will be delivered to you as soon as it can be determined. I have returned to--” “Splendid!” broke in the young general, with a fine fervor. “A complete victory! I shall send full report at once to General McClellan at headquarters; and you can be assured, Captain Dadd, that your own gallant conduct shall by no means be forgotten in my report. As for this little hero with the drum--” “General,” interposed Dad, dropping his voice and moving a step nearer to the exuberant commander, “may I speak plainly?” “By all means, sir!” bleated the commander, with his best Napoleon air. “The hero of such a victory as this has just proved may well--”