ick shrugged his shoulders. His feelings were too bitter for him to
make a reply save to say: "I don't know anything about it."

Meanwhile the distant combat roared and deepened. It was obvious that
a great battle was going on, but the division lay quiet obeying its
orders. The sun rose higher in the cold, steely blue heavens and then
Dick, who was watching a forest opposite them, uttered a loud cry. He
had seen many bayonets flashing among the leafless trees.

The cry was taken up by others who saw also, and suddenly a long
Southern line, less than half a mile away, emerged into the open and
advanced upon them in silence, but with resolution, a bristling and
terrific front of steel. After all their watching and waiting the
Northern division had been surprised. Many of the officers and soldiers,
too, were in tents that had been set against the cold and damp. The
horses that drew the artillery were being taken to water.

It was an awful moment and Dick's heart missed more than one beat, but
in that crisis the American, often impatient of discipline, showed his
power of initiative and his resolute courage. While that bristling
front of steel came on the soldiers formed themselves into line without
waiting for the commands of the officers. The artillerymen rushed to
their guns.

"Kneel, men! Kneel!" shouted Colonel Winchester to his own regiment. He
and all his officers were on foot, their horses having been left in the
rear the night before.

His men threw themselves down at his command, and, all along the
Northern line formed so hastily, the rifles began to crackle, sending
forth a sheet of fire and bullets.

The Northern cannon, handled as always with skill and courage, were
at work now, too, and their shells and shot lashed the Southern ranks
through and through. But Dick saw no pause in the advance of the men in
gray. They did not even falter. Without a particle of shelter they came
on through the rain of death, their ranks closing up over the slain,
their front line always presenting that bristling line of steel.

It seemed to Dick now that the points of the bayonets shone almost in
his face, gleaming through the smoke that hung between them and the foe,
a gap that continually grew narrower as the Southern line never ceased
to come.

"Stand firm, lads; steady for God's sake, steady!" shouted Colonel
Winchester, and then Dick heard no single voice, because the roar of the
battle broke over them like the sudde