“Well, not usually,” said he. “But,” and he nodded his head, “I’d not have missed it for a good deal. And now that my father has had the news about his land and, according to his letter, is feeling quite comfortable about it, I’m in no hurry to go back to Virginia, I can tell you. Things are not so regular here; but they have a great sight more go in them.” Frank, while they were still at Fort Deposit, had received a letter from his father, expressing great pleasure at the news sent him; and also telling of the gratification it gave him to hear of his boy’s gallant conduct. It was Jack who had written to tell him of this, without Frank’s knowledge. Frank had been dubious as to the result when he learned of it, but his father’s letter had settled all this. “Danger, my dear boy,” the old man had written, “is a thing which every man must face in one form or another. That you have faced what has come to you in the performance of your duty pleases me beyond description. And since that other duty (your aid in defending the homes of those who have befriended you) has arisen, I can only say, God bless you. Do what you have to do with all your might, and never think of yourself or me.” “The old gentleman was always game, I remember,” said Jack, who had been handed this letter by Frank, and who had read it with a great deal of interest. “And I’m glad I wrote him as I did; for he’s as proud of it all as a hen that has a gosling for a chicken.” Frank laughed once more. “It’s a very good thing that you did write,” said he, “for now I can stay on down here until all this trouble’s over and not feel that father is worrying about me.” The country through which they were passing was one of huge timbered stretches, streams, ravines and canebrakes; the scouts were forced to go slowly, searching out the best way for the column of troops to follow; also they were compelled to watch for lurking parties of hostiles. “They are sure to know of what took place at Tallushatchee,” said Jack to his friend as they rode along. “And they are also sure to be watching us. Creeks don’t need much cover, as I guess you know by this time; and a little attention to the bush and canebrakes’ll not be thrown away.” The idea of a lurking foe was not at all pleasant to the young Virginian; but he held his rifle ready and set his jaw and guided his nag along without an instant’s hesitation. They had covered half of the thirty miles to Talladega when the formation of the country caused the scouts to separate and advance in detached groups. The two boys still remained together, Jack in advance and Frank close behind; they rode along a narrow ridge which rose up like the vertebræ of some monster; upon all sides of them was lowering tangled forest and canebrake. In the distance they could hear the crashing progress of their fellow scouts, but they could not see any of them because of the tangle.