I looked around for shelter from the Federal cannon; although the shells went high, it would be folly for me to go forward into the place of danger. The hill was bare. There was no depression, no tree, no fence, nothing but the open wind-swept hill--desolate and bare. I was on this bare hill. A man passed me from the rear. He was armed. He, too, like myself, had no doubt come from the picket-line. "Better leg it!" he cried--and I legged it with him, making for the breastworks. The shells from the rear seemed to fly over at a less height. One of the shells burst over my head. Suddenly I saw my companion throw up one hand--his left hand--with great violence, and fall flat; hardly was I conscious that I saw him fall; at the instant there was a deafening noise, and I was conscious of nothing. XX THE MASK OF IGNORANCE "I am mainly ignorant What place this is; and all the skill I have Remembers not these garments; nor I know not Where I did lodge last night."--SHAKESPEARE. "Who is it?" "Don't know." My head pained me. I opened my eyes. The blue sky was over me now. A gently swaying motion lifted and lowered me. "Hurt bad?" "Head mashed." "Anybody else?" "One more, and _he's gone_!" I could not see the speakers ... I tried to turn my head, but could not. I turned my eyes to the right, then to my left; the motion of my eyes threatened to break something in my head. I saw nothing but the trees, which seemed to move back slowly, and to become larger and smaller. Great thirst consumed me. I tried to speak, but could not. The swaying motion continued. The trees rose and fell and went by. The blue sky was over me. I did not stir. How long this lasted I did not know. I was hardly conscious that I was conscious. I heard a word now and then: "Look out there!" "Hold on!" "Wait a second!" A moment before, I had walked out of the hotel among the pines ... these are not pines; they are oaks. A moment before, the night sky had been overcast with rain-clouds ... now the sky is blue over my head, and the sun is hot. My head whirs with pain and fear--fear of insanity. I have been hurt; I have been unconscious ... I cannot recollect what hurt me.... But no; there was no mental danger, for my senses were returning. I could feel that I was being borne, in a way unknown to me, by some unknown men. I could not see the men, but I could hear them step,--sometimes very clumsily, causing me renewed pain,--and I could hear them speak, and breathe heavily. Now I thought I could see tents, and great fear came on me. We passed between objects like tents, and went on; we were in a field, or some open space; I could see no trees. Then I heard, or thought I heard, a voice cry out strange syllables, "Hep! Hep! Hep!"--and again, "Hep! Hep! Hep!" Well, well ... this is a dream; I'll soon wake up; but it is vivid while it lasts.