"Lydia will not rejoin me yet," said, he; "she wishes to be with me, but
I prefer that she should remain in the hospital at Hampton until the
army is concentrated. You will have some marching to do before you have
any more fighting, and I don't think I'll send for her yet."
"I suppose she can do as much good where she is," I said.
"Yes, and save herself the worry of frequent marches. She can come to me
when things are settled. However, I am not sure that we shall not demand
her services here. But now tell me all about your last night's
experience."
When I had ended my narration, he said, "You will hereafter be called on
to do more of such work."
"I suppose so," said I.
"Do you like it?"
"No, Doctor, I do not, and I am surprised that I do not. Yet, I shall
not object if I can accomplish anything."
"You have accomplished something each time that you have been sent out.
You have at least furnished strong corroborative evidence, sufficiently
strong to induce action on the part of your generals."
"Doctor, I wish you would rest and sleep."
"Are you sleepy?"
"No; I slept all the morning, and had another nap in the afternoon."
"Well, let us talk awhile. The animals can rest; speech is given unto
man alone. First, I say that by holding to your programme of last night
you will incur little risk."
"Tell me what you mean by holding to my programme, Doctor."
"And you will accomplish more," he added meditatively. "Yes; you will be
in less danger, and you will accomplish more."
"I should be glad to be in less danger, as well as to do more," said I.
"You should always do such work unarmed."
"You are right, Doctor; entirely right. Arms are encumbrances only, and
a man might easily be tempted to fire when he ought to be silent."
"My reasons are a little different from yours," said the Doctor; "you
will be safer if you are unarmed, and other people's lives will be safer
from you."
"Why should I not also wear Confederate uniform?"
"And be a spy, Jones?"
"Hardly that, Doctor; merely a scout near the enemy's lines, not in
them."
"I cannot vote for that yet," said the Doctor.