, in proportion to the
wounded, was accounted for by the fact that the firing was so close
that, in many cases, the coats of the dead men were actually singed
by the explosion; while the slightly wounded men had been able to
regain their horses, and escape.

The first impulse of the young Barclays, when the fire ceased, was
to turn round and to embrace each other with delight--on finding
that they had each escaped without a scratch--and then to shake
hands heartily with their cousins, whose fortune had been equally
good. There was no time for words, however; for Major Tempe's order
came, sharp and decisive:

"You the Barclays, you also the Duburgs, sling your arms, and go
assist to drive in the cattle. Quick, lose no time.

"You have done well. I am content with you, my boys."

With a flush of pleasure, the boys started off to carry out the
orders; which had been given, by their commander, with the kind
thought of sparing the lads the terrible sight of the battle
ground.

The short but desperate conflict through which they had passed
seemed, to the young Barclays, almost like a dream. In the
excitement of loading and firing, in the tumult and the rattle,
they had scarcely had time even to give a thought to the danger.

Fear is seldom felt by the soldier when engaged in close conflict.
The time when his nerves are most tried is while waiting inactive,
at a distance, exposed to a heavy shell fire; or while advancing to
an attack, under a storm of musketry and artillery. In a
hand-to-hand conflict, he has no time to think. His nerves are
strung up to so high a pitch that he no longer thinks of danger, or
death. His whole thoughts are given to loading and firing.

Any thought that the boys had given to danger was not for
themselves, but for each other; and Ralph--though his own position
was unsheltered--had once or twice spoken, to Percy, to keep his
body better sheltered by the trees behind which he was standing.

It was a long chase before the frightened animals were collected
together, and driven up towards the spot where the fight had taken
place. By the time that it was accomplished, the wounded had been
collected, and the surgeons had bandaged many of their wounds. A
qualified surgeon had accompanied the corps, as its regular doctor,
and two other young surgeons had enlisted in its ranks; and these,
their arms laid by, were now assisting to stanch the wounds and to
apply bandages. Of the franc tireurs, ther