“May I not run foul of some man of ours sent out by one of the other brigades, General?”

“Not likely; each, brigade sends in its own front, and you will hardly find that any man will be so enterprising as to try to do our duty for us; still, you must avoid any chance of a collision such as you speak of.”

“How shall I get through our own pickets, General?”

“My courier will see you through,” said he.  “No; I will see you through.  I want to see our line again, and I will go with you.”

“Suppose the brigade moves while I am at the front, and I can’t find you when I get back.”

“Then make your report to the picket that relieves ours, and get back to us as soon as you can.  Our pickets will tell those that relieve them about you.”

“Suppose I find a movement in progress and can follow it,” said I.

“Follow it as long as you wish, only be sure to report through the other man.  Is everything clear to you now?”

“Yes, General; I think so.”

“Then return to your company and get ready; be back in ten minutes.”

I was back in ten minutes.  I had decided to go entirely unarmed, and I was hoping that the men of the other brigades would have as much consideration for me, as I did not think it very unlikely that I should run against one of them in the darkness.  I put my gum-blanket over me, committed my knapsack and other things to Willis’s keeping; and was back with the general.

We found that our pickets were not on the branch which the general had shown me on the map, or on any branch.  A brief conversation took place between the general and Captain Brown of the picket-line.  The captain chose a man, and told him to follow me and to obey my orders.

Then the general put his hand on my shoulder.  “Take care of yourself, my man,” said he; “but get to that road; be sure that you report any movement on that road.”  I began to assure him that I would do all that I could, but I found that he had already started back to the brigade.

I asked Captain Brown to warn all his men not to fire on me when I should return.  The low call went right and left along the line,—­“Two of our men going to the front!”

“Where are your vedettes?” I asked of Captain Brown.

“The line itself is on extreme duty,” said he; “the vedettes are only thirty yards in front; we posted the relief not half an hour ago.”

I had already observed by the light of General Grover’s lantern, which his orderly had discreetly held in reserve some ten paces or more, that the picket-line was a double one, that is to say, two men to every five paces, and that every man was standing in his place, gun in hand,—­behind trees the most of them,—­and with their faces to the front.  There were no picket fires.

“How many vedettes are there?  How thick are they?”

“One every twenty yards,” said he; “I will relieve them with new men in half an hour, or a little more; an hour is long enough for such duty.  The new men will be advised that you are still in front.  Are you ready?”