hey had either been
re-enforced, or the scouts had not seen them all. They marched very
confidently, and began the ascent of the hill.

When they had ascended about half the distance to the summit, one of
the cannon pealed, and three men were seen to fall from their horses.
The assailants had evidently not expected to encounter artillery, and
the result of the first discharge checked them. At this moment Deck
twice waved the signal. A minute later the blast of the bugle was heard
in the distance, followed immediately by the onslaught of Captain
Trueman's company.

Deck observed the impetuous charge. Captain Grundy appeared to have
ordered his command to deploy to the right; but they had no time to do
so, for the troopers dashed into them in front. The guerillas could not
hold their ground for a moment against this fiery charge. They broke,
and began to retreat by the way they had come. Deck waved his signal
once; and Captain Gordon's company dashed through the valley, and
confronted the ruffians in their hot retreat.

CHAPTER XXXIII

THE DEFEAT AND SURRENDER OF THE GUERILLAS

The moment Deck Lyon had given the signal for the first company to
advance, he ran down the hill with all the speed he could command, to a
tree where Life had hitched his horse in readiness for him. It was not
the animal he had ridden from Colonel Hickman's mansion, but Ceph, the
steed he had trained and used from the beginning of his career as a
soldier. He was very intelligent, and seemed to understand precisely
what was required of him in action; though he sometimes overdid his
part, as when he tried to leap over the horse of his rider's opponent.

The lieutenant did not feel quite at home on any other horse. The
baggage-wagons of the squadron had been halted in the road with a
sufficient guard, and the spare horses included not a few picked up on
the battle-field of Mill Springs. Ceph whinnied vigorously, and pawed
the sod with his forefeet when he saw his master running down the hill.
These were his expressions of rejoicing to meet his rider again.

But Deck, who was anxious to be at the head of his platoon on the
field, could only pat him on the neck and stroke his nose as he
unhitched him. Life had attached a sabre to the saddle for his use, for
he was sure that he would want one. Mounting hastily, he disengaged the
weapon, and started in the direction his company had taken. If the
rider had fully informed his steed what he w