The Doctor laughed; but he rose at once, protesting that Lydia was right.  Lydia did not laugh.

Sleep came to me soon, and the next morning I felt greatly refreshed.  While at breakfast, which the Doctor alone joined in with me, Jones and Frank rode up.  I hastened to end the meal, and we soon were off.

* * * * *

I had made up my mind that if possible we should strike across the Virginia Central, some miles south of Hanover Court-House, and work our way toward the Confederate right and rear.

We crossed the Totopotomoy Creek near Pole Green Church, far above the place where Jones and I had crossed it on the 23rd, and then took to the woods up the creek swamp, the head of which, I had ascertained from the map, was at the west of the railroad.  We were now on neutral ground.  The usual order of our advance was Jones in the lead, I following him at not more than forty yards, and Frank coming behind me at more than twice that distance.  Jones was directed to halt and ride back every time that he should see anything suspicious.  Only once, however, did he have occasion to observe this order.  It was when we were approaching the Totopotomoy; we were in a considerable thicket and had closed up in order to keep each his leader in sight; Jones was ahead of me about fifteen steps.  I saw him suddenly pull up his horse sharp; then he waved his hand at me and came riding back.  At his first motion I had pulled up.  When Jones had reached me, he said, “There is smoke in front.”

I beckoned to Frank to come on.  We conferred.  Jones had heard no noise, but had seen a thin line of smoke rising through the trees, which, he said, were larger and less dense just ahead.  Jones was directed to dismount and to approach the smoke until he could learn what caused it.  He returned very soon, and said there was a house in a small field just before us, and that a wide road ran in front of the house.  We made a detour and passed on.

About six in the afternoon we reached a road running north, the road, as I supposed, from Richmond to Hanover.  We were now about halfway between Hanover Court-House and the railroad bridge across the Chickahominy, and still in the Totopotomoy swamp, or that of one of its branches.  We crossed the road, selecting a place where there were two sudden bends, and looking well both ways before venturing.  After crossing, I directed Jones to take his stand near the lower bend, and Frank to watch the road from the upper bend, while I threw sand on the tracks our horses had made in crossing the road.  We were now within less than a mile of the Virginia Central railroad.

I directed Frank to keep watch on the Hanover road, and went with Jones toward the railroad, and stationed him near it, or rather as far from it as he could be and yet see it.  Then I returned to Frank and took his place, directing him to find Jones and then occupy a position as nearly as possible halfway between Jones and me.  Frank’s duties were to connect me with Jones and to care for the three horses, which were brought together in the centre lest they should be heard.  We were now in position to observe any movement by rail or by road between Richmond and Hanover Court-House, and I decided to remain here for the most of the night.