He was unnerved. It was not cowardice, but the reaction that so often follows times of great excitement. Exhaustion, complete and unavoidable, had taken possession of him. He reeled like a drunken man. Making a frantic effort to recover himself, he sank on the earth amid a clump of leaves and brush, that half hid him from observation. How long he lay in this stupor he could not tell, but when he became conscious of the dreadful {094}place he was in, he slowly struggled to his feet, half-dazed and bewildered. His first thought was to wonder where Bill was. He recollected that he had fled in hot haste with the others, and the last glimpse of him which he had, was when the plucky Massachusetts captain made his stand, but was compelled to surrender. He was sure that he had been wounded, for he saw blood streaming down Bill's face, as he ran. [Illustration: 8102] “Could he have escaped, or is he among the dead lying here?” he thought. “I must search for him.” And as he threaded his way among the dead and wounded as best he could in the twilight, he stumbled over the body of a boy. Kneeling down, he turned the lad's face upward, and in the dim light he knew him. “It is Charlie Arlington!--he is surely dead!” The boy opened his eyes, and seeing Ralph, he assured him that he was not wounded, but he feared his ankle was sprained. “I told you,” he said, with a smile, “that we should meet again.” “You did, but I did not think it would be so soon. Are you injured?” “Only by my horse, who stumbled and threw me with such force against that old stump that I fainted with pain. Do you think my leg is broken?” “Let me examine it. No, I don't think it is. How are you going to ride, however? Where is your horse?” “Oh, he ran away after serving me that mean trick. But why {095}are you here? Don't you know you are my prisoner now?” he continued, smiling broadly. “How's that?” Ralph spoke sharp and loud. “Hush!” the other cautioned. “You'll have a dozen soldiers after you. They're coming back to bury the dead. Of course you're my prisoner. You're on our field--were you not routed?” This fact rather staggered Ralph. It had not come home to him till then; he looked anxiously toward the river's bank. The boy divined his thought. “It's no use to try to swim that stream here. The current's too strong.” [Illustration: 8103] “It seems I'm your prisoner, then.” Ralph's sad tones spoke volumes. The horrors of captivity stared him in the face. He thought at that instant, of his mother, sisters and the dear old home, and his heart was heavy as lead. Charlie appeared to be enjoying the advantage he had over Ralph, for he never removed his gaze. “I've but to raise my voice and you'd be surrounded in an instant.” “But how is it you are here now; I thought you knew nothing about the army,” said Ralph. “I {096}didn't when I last saw you, but I joined the Southern army the next week. I am in the cavalry service.”