a woman, an' a walnut tree,
Th' more yeh beat 'em, th' better they be!

That's like us."

"Lost a piler men, they did. If an' ol' woman swep' up th' woods she'd
git a dustpanful."

"Yes, an' if she'll come around ag'in in 'bout an' hour she'll git a
pile more."

The forest still bore its burden of clamor. From off under the trees
came the rolling clatter of the musketry. Each distant thicket seemed
a strange porcupine with quills of flame. A cloud of dark smoke, as
from smoldering ruins, went up toward the sun now bright and gay in the
blue, enameled sky.

CHAPTER XVIII.

The ragged line had respite for some minutes, but during its pause the
struggle in the forest became magnified until the trees seemed to
quiver from the firing and the ground to shake from the rushing of the
men. The voices of the cannon were mingled in a long and interminable
row. It seemed difficult to live in such an atmosphere. The chests of
the men strained for a bit of freshness, and their throats craved water.

There was one shot through the body, who raised a cry of bitter
lamentation when came this lull. Perhaps he had been calling out
during the fighting also, but at that time no one had heard him. But
now the men turned at the woeful complaints of him upon the ground.

"Who is it? Who is it?"

"It's Jimmie Rogers. Jimmie Rogers."

When their eyes first encountered him there was a sudden halt, as if
they feared to go near. He was thrashing about in the grass, twisting
his shuddering body into many strange postures. He was screaming
loudly. This instant's hesitation seemed to fill him with a
tremendous, fantastic contempt, and he damned them in shrieked
sentences.

The youth's friend had a geographical illusion concerning a stream, and
he obtained permission to go for some water. Immediately canteens were
showered upon him. "Fill mine, will yeh?" "Bring me some, too." "And
me, too." He departed, ladened. The youth went with his friend,
feeling a desire to throw his heated body onto the stream and, soaking
there, drink quarts.

They made a hurried search for the supposed stream, but did not find
it. "No water here," said the youth. They turned without delay and
began to retrace their steps.

From their position as they again faced toward the place of the
fighting, they could of course comprehend a greater amount of the
battle than when their visions had been blurred by the hurling smoke of
the line.