those dismounted ran or limped after them, some poor wretches
being merely able to crawl, and about a dozen lay quite still.

Then discipline was for the moment at an end.

The order was given, "Cease firing!" and the men broke their ranks to
run in a crowd round Brace, shouting, cheering, waving their helmets,
swords, sponges, and rammers, and literally dancing with delight, while
Haynes and the doctor were shaking his hands as if they would drag him
off his horse.

The next minute they were at me, and, to my astonishment, the doctor was
literally crying.

"Ah, God bless you, my boy!" he cried. "I never thought I could be such
a fool.--Hi! hooray! hooray! cheer, my lads, cheer!" he shouted, as he
waved his sun helmet. But the men were cheering, and they had now
collected round Dicky Dobbs, two leading his horse, others hanging on to
the saddle, and actually holding by the horse's tail, as they marched
him round in a kind of procession, one stalwart gunner shouting--

"Blow, you beggar, blow!"

Dobbs, ready to fall off his horse with laughter and excitement, gave
one feeble blast, and then was silent again.

It was merely a matter of a few minutes--Brace letting the gallant
fellows have their way. Then, after warmly pressing Haynes's hand, he
rode toward the excited mob, and held up his sword.

Then Dobbs blew a blast, and every man rushed to his horse and gun.

"Fall in!" rang out; and in an incredibly short space of time the line
was reformed, men giving a grunt of satisfaction as they rapidly altered
the length of their stirrups, and sat at ease upon some favourite horse.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

The excitement was still high, as we all sat in our places about a
couple of hundred yards from the forest, and then Brace cried--

"Attention!"

Save the champing of bits by the horses, there was not a sound.

"There, my lads," he cried, "I feel now as if I can look you all once
more in the face, for the dear old troop is itself again."

"God bless you, sir!" shouted the oldest corporal we had. "The bravest
act ever done in the British army."

"Silence!" cried Brace, but not angrily. "You must not thank me, my
lads, but Mr Vincent and Sergeant Craig."

I wanted to say, "Yes, Craig; let me fetch him;" but discipline forbade,
and I knew that Brace would do him justice.

"Then three cheers for Sergeant Craig, if I lose my stripes for it,"
shouted the corporal again, who was as intoxicated with exc