Harry was not at all averse, as he was completely
exhausted again after the tremendous excitement of the battle, and the
long hours of strain and danger. But his nerves were so much on edge
that he could not yet sleep. His eyes were red and smarting from the
smoke and burned powder, and he felt as if accumulated smoke and dust
encased him like a suit of armor.
"I'd give a hundred dollars for a good long drink, just as long as I
liked to make it," he groaned, "and I mean a drink of pure cold water,
too."
"Confederate paper or money?" said Dalton.
"I mean real money, but at the same time you oughtn't to make invidious
comparisons."
"Then the money's mine, but you can pay me whenever you feel like it,
which I suppose will be never. There's a spring in the thick woods just
back of your quarters. It flows out from under rocks, at the distance of
several yards makes a deep pool, and then the overflow of the pool goes
on through the forest to the Po. Come on, Harry! We'll luxuriate and
then tell the others."
Harry found that it was a most glorious spring, indeed; clear and cold.
He and Dalton drank slowly at first, and then deeply.
"I didn't know I could hold so much," said Dalton.
"Nor I," said Harry.
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