"Couldn't think of it. As a matter of fact, I'm with my army now; that is, I'm in its lines, while you can't reach yours. All I've got to do is to hold you here, and in the course of time some of our people will come along and take you." "Do you think I'm worth so much trouble?" "In a way it's a sort of personal affair with me. You admit having robbed my brother, and I feel that I must avenge him. He has been acting as a dispatch rider, and I can make a pretty shrewd guess about what you took from him. So I think I'll stay here." Harry blamed himself bitterly for his careless and unfortunate expressions. He did not fear the result of a duel with this man, being the master of woodcraft that he was, but he was losing time, valuable time, time more precious than gold and diamonds, time heavy with the fate of armies and a nation. He grew furiously angry at everything, and angriest at Haskell. "Mr. Haskell," he called, "I'm getting tired of your society, and I make you a polite request to go away." "Oh, no, you're not tired. You merely think you are, and I couldn't consider conceding to your request. It's for your good more than mine. My society is elevating to any Johnny Reb." "Then I warn you that I may have to hurt you." "How about getting hurt yourself?" Harry was silent. His acute ears brought him the sound of Haskell moving a little in his own particular hollow. The lonesome owl hooted twice more, but there was no sound to betoken the approach of Union troops in the forest. The duel of weapons and wits would have to be fought out alone by Haskell and himself. He went over everything again and again and he concluded that he must rely upon his superior keenness of ear. He could hear Haskell, but Haskell could not hear him, and there was Providence once more taking him into favor. Summer clouds began to drift before the moon, and many of the stars were veiled. It was possible that Haskell's eyes also were not as keen as his own. When the darkness increased, he began to crawl from the little shallow. Despite extreme precautions he made a slight noise. A pistol flashed and a bullet passed over him. It made his muscles quiver, but he called in a calm voice: "Why did you do such a foolish thing as that? You wasted a perfectly good bullet." "Weren't you trying to escape? I thought I heard a movement in the grass." "Wasn't thinking of such a thing. I'm just waiting here to see what you'll do. Why don't you come on and attack?" "I'm satisfied with things as they are. I'll hold you until morning and then our men will be sure to come and pick you up." "Maybe it will be our men who will come and pick you up." "Oh, no; they're too busy leaving Gettysburg behind 'em."