charging down, making
straight for Ray. "The lieutenant's compliments," said he, "but there's
a dozen Sioux in sight, and he wishes to know shall he charge."

A dozen Sioux in sight! That was unusual. Ordinarily the Indian keeps in
hiding, lurking behind sheltering crests and ridges in the open country,
or the trees and underbrush where such cover is possible. A dozen in
sight?

"How far ahead, Murray?" asked the captain, as he shook free his rein
and started forward at the gallop. "Did you see them yourself?"

"Yes, sir. Most of 'em were bunched by the roadside, jabbing with their
lances at something or other. Two or three were closer in. They must ha'
been watching us, for they only quit the ridge just before we came up.
Then they skedaddled." The vernacular of the civil war days, long since
forgotten except about the few Veteran Soldiers' Homes in the East, was
still in use at times in regiments like the ----th, which had served the
four years through with the Army of the Potomac. Old sergeants give the
tone to younger soldiers in all the customs of the service. The captain
and the two men now with him had caught up with Field's swift trotting
support by this time, and the eyes of the men kindled instantly at sight
of their leader speeding easily by, cool, confident and as thoroughly at
home as though it were the most ordinary skirmish drill. Those who have
never tried it, do not quite realize what it means to ride in closed
ranks and compact column, silent and unswerving, straight forward over
open fields toward some equally silent crest, that gives no sign of
hostile occupancy, and yet may suddenly blaze with vengeful fires and
spit its hissing lead into the faces of the advancing force. Even here
where the ridge was already gained by two or three of the advance,
proving, therefore, that the enemy could not be in possession, men saw
by the excitement manifest in the signals of the lieutenant, and indeed
of Sergeant Scott, who had spent fifteen years in the ranks, that
Indians must be close at hand. The crest was barely five hundred yards
in front of the section, and they were still "bunched," a splendid mark
if the foe saw fit by sudden dash to regain the ridge and pour in rapid
fire from their magazine rifles. Every ward of the nation, as a rule,
had his Winchester or Henry,--about a six to one advantage to the red
men over the sworn soldier of the government in a short range fight. The
lieutenant was a brave la