noon
They had been seen -- the first two in the last desperate conflict . An officer -LRB- the hero whom Jack had so much admired , and who turned out to be Gouverneur K. Warren -RRB- had escaped from the forlorn hope left to dispute the rebel charge upon the flying columns . He gave particulars that pointed with heart-breaking certainty to the death of the two boys . Young Perley had been lost sight of since noon of the battle . He had followed the path taken by Jack and his comrades across the flank of the enemy . He had been seen at Heintzelman 's headquarters , but after that no one could trace him . Wesley , too , had been left near the stone bridge with a ball in either his arm or thigh , the informant was not quite sure which , as he fell in a charge of the line .