passed back, and in an instant a stir
of preparation was noticed all down the line of horsemen.

A courier galloped up the road to recall the advance-guard. The head
of the column passed through the gap, and, without waiting for the
others, dashed up the hill at a gallop--the General and the colonel a
score of yards ahead of any of the others.

"Let's go and see the fight!" cried the boys; and the whole set
started back up the hill as fast as their legs could carry them.

"S'pose they shoot! Won't they shoot us?" asked one of the negro boys,
in some apprehension. This, though before unthought of, was a
possibility, and for a moment brought them down to a slower pace.

"We can lie flat and peep over the top of the hill." This was Frank's
happy thought, and the party started ahead again. "Let's go around
that way." They made a little detour.

Just before they reached the crest they heard a shot, "bang!"
immediately followed by another, "bang!" and in a second more a
regular volley began, and was kept up.

They reached the crest of the hill in time to see the Confederates
gallop up the slope toward the stables, firing their pistols at the
blue-coats, who were forming in the edge of a little wood, over beyond
a fence, from the other side of which the smoke of their carbines was
rolling. They had evidently started on just as the boys left, and
before the Confederates came in sight.

The boys saw their friends dash at this fence, and could distinguish
the General and Hugh, who were still in the lead. Their horses took
the fence, going over like birds, and others followed,--Tim Mills
among them,--while yet more went through a gate a few yards to one
side.

"Look at Hugh! Look at Hugh!"

"Look! That horse has fallen down!" cried one of the boys, as a horse
went down just at the entrance of the wood, rolling over his rider.

"He's shot!" exclaimed Frank, for neither horse nor rider attempted to
rise.

"See; they are running!"

The little squad of blue-coats were retiring into the woods, with the
grays closely pressing them.

"Let's cut across and see 'em run 'em over the bridge."

"Come on!"

All the little group of spectators, white and black, started as hard
as they could go for a path they knew, which led by a short cut
through the little piece of woods. Beyond lay a field divided by a
stream, a short distance on the other side of which was a large body
of woods.

The popping was still going on furiously