I was staggered.  What I was trying to do was to avoid calling for Dr. Khayme, who, I feared, would betray me through surprise.  What had become of all these generals?  Even General McClellan, who by bare possibility might have heard of me through General Morell, was, as I knew very well, far from this army.  Certainly the war had been hard on the general officers of this Army of the Potomac.  I would risk one more name.

“Then, General, I should be glad to see Colonel Blaisdell.”

“What Colonel Blaisdell?  What regiment?”

“Eleventh Massachusetts, sir.”

General Meade looked at an officer.  The officer shook his head slightly.

“Nor is Colonel Blaisdell here, my good fellow.  Now I am going to ask you some questions, and I think it well to advise you to answer quickly and without many words.  How do you happen to know that the colonel of the Eleventh Massachusetts is named Blaisdell?”

I did not know what to say.  If I had been with General Meade alone, I should have confided in him at this moment—­yet the idea again came that he would have considered me a lunatic.  I had to answer quickly, so I said, “I had friends in that regiment, General.”

The officers had gathered around their commander as close as etiquette allowed.  They were looking on, and listening—­some of them very serious—­others with sneers.”

“Name one of your friends.”

“John Lawler, sir.”

“What company?”

“Company D.”

An officer wrote something, and an orderly went off.

“Now,” said the general, “how is it that you seem to know General Grover and General Butterfield—­stop!  What brigade did General Grover command?  Where was it that you knew him?”

“General, I beg of you that you will not force me to answer.  The information I bring you is true.  What I might say of General Grover would not prove me to be true.  I beg to ask if Dr. Khayme, of the Sanitary Commission, is with the army?”

“Yes,” said the general, after again questioning his aide with a look.

“He will vouch for me, sir,” said I.

A second orderly was sent off.

All the officers now looked grave.  The general continued to question me.  I had two things to think of at once,—­replies to the general, and a plan to prevent a scene when the Doctor appeared.

“How far up the river was Lee’s infantry this morning?”

“Near Jeffersonton, sir, moving on up.”  How could I keep the Doctor quiet?  I knew not.  I could only hope that his wonderful self-control would not even now desert him.

“How do you know they were still moving?”

“Hill’s corps began to move just before day.  I could hear the movement, sir.”  Doctor Khayme might save me or might undo me; on his conduct depended my peace for the future.  If he should betray me, I should henceforth be a living curiosity.

“Why did you not start yesterday, sir?” asked the general.