odle
they needed!"

Our people cheered wildly. Some even threw down their weapons to dance
about as do children, and, coming fairly to my senses, I leaned over the
breastwork seeing, as the smoke cleared away, those men who had so
lately come up to over-run us, fleeing like frightened sheep, leaving
behind them here and there squads of dead or wounded comrades, some of
whom shrieked with pain, and others, striving to follow in the retreat,
crawling on hands and knees, dragging after them shattered limbs,
staining the grass with crimson, until one could almost fancy that even
amid the fumes of powder it was possible to detect that acrid odor which
comes from blood.

In my delirium it was as if I had lived a whole life-time fighting,
struggling to force back those soldiers of the king who fought only for
the wage they received, caring naught for the righteousness of their
cause, and yet, as I was told, we had not been at the work above ten
minutes.

Ten minutes! and in that time we had forced back full twice our number!
We, the rag-tag of the colonies, had in fair fight against great odds
beaten all the men they had sent to slay us, and this in the face of
that furious fire from ships, and from the batteries in town!

While I stood there craning my neck to view the results of our own
blood-thirstiness, I gave heed only to the victory which we had won,
never thinking what might be the cost until Hiram plucked me from
behind, and, turning, I saw lying here and there within the redoubt one
and another of our people writhing in pain, or lying stark and still in
death.

Strange though it may seem, until that moment I had not believed our
friends might have suffered. In my foolishness I fancied, if indeed I
gave it a thought, that we had come out from that storm of lead without
a scratch, and all my exultation vanished beneath a chill that was like
unto fear.

"How many of our poor fellows have been cut down?" I cried, and there
must have been in my voice that which told Hiram I was near to showing
the white feather, for he shouted harshly, and as if in anger:

"It's no affair of yours, Luke Wright, how many have paid for the love
they bear the colonies! The battle is but just begun, and many another
among us will follow them before the day has come to a close!"

"But just begun?" I repeated stupidly. "We have whipped them, Hiram!
Look yonder, not a man remains on the hill who can run or crawl about."

"Don't flatte