Mrs. Bob: A Novel — page 144: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

136 JOE HOOKER IN THE ARENA. _“Yes—only a line or so—listen,’’ he reads: ‘““Wours received —I will attend to the little matter at ten in the morning. JoE HOOKER.’’ As it turns out, had this same Joe Hooker set his time just an hour earlier, it would have been decidedly better for our friend’s peace of mind. CHAPTER XVI. JOE HOOKER IN THE ARENA. After receiving this message Bob seems to rest easily—he has great confidence in the ability of Joe Hooker to carry out any scheme. From Cincinnati they cross into Keutieey: and follow the river up for many miles. During the night they push in among the rugged hills of West Vir- ginia, and with the peep of dawn look out upon some of the most remarkable scenery in the country, for the valley of the New River, like that of the Emery, the French Broad, and other mountain streams, presents some picturesque sights. Thus, as the day wears on, they advance upon Richmond. The course to-day is hardly to be com- pared with what it was twenty-eight years ago. Then frowning cannon greeted the eye on all sides, and a hostile people, armed and desperate, met the GEomichbooksnco im