roopers in the water; for all of them had turned their
gaze in the direction of the woods. But the observer was concealed
among the branches of a large tree, and the enemy could see nothing.

The guard of the wagon-train still continued to work at the wheels. So
far as they could move the vehicles at all, it was in the direction of
the Jamestown Road, still three miles from them. As Life regarded the
situation, it was a hopeless case for them, being only twenty rods from
the enemy. It is no wonder that they were discouraged, though the
officers compelled their men to continue their labor.

The only salvation for the train and the guard was in the arrival of
the re-enforcement from the Riverlawn Cavalry and its auxiliary force.
He was confident that this assistance would come very soon, and he
hoped it would come before the enemy left the stream. Life measured
with his eye the direction and distances of the edge of the forest, the
train, and the cavalry.

His position was in about the centre of a straight portion of the line
of the woods, ending at a point nearest to the stream. He had been
informed that Lieutenant Lyon would command the detachment that was to
move towards the pike. This force could do little or nothing with their
horses in the meadow, any more than the Confederate company. The
sergeant had arranged in his mind just how the affair should be
managed, and believed that Deck would hear his advice, as he often had
before, whether he followed it or not.

The enemy remained at a halt in the stream, the officers and most of
the troopers watching the woods in the direction from which the
commands came; for Life had repeated them at intervals for some time.
Like a prudent commander, the captain seemed to be unwilling to
continue his fight with the mud until the unseen enemy, if there was
one, had been seen, and his strength measured.

The sergeant looked at his great silver watch, and found that fifty
minutes had elapsed since the departure of Milton. He had calculated
closely that the re-enforcement would be on the ground in about half an
hour; but probably his impatience had hurried his reckoning, and he
made no allowance for the overhanging branches of the trees, which
would to some extent impede the progress of the troopers.

But he had heard the sound of the horses' feet as he returned his watch
to his pocket. He descended from the tree in hot haste, and rushed up
the road with all the speed that his l