ying to get off by the Staunton road."

The cavalry divided. A strong body stayed by the bridge, while one as
large turned and galloped away. Those staying chafed with impatience.
"Why don't the infantry come up--damned creeping snails!"--"Yes, we
could cross, but when we got to the other side, what then?--No, don't
dare to burn the bridge--don't know what the general would
say."--"Listen to those drums over there! If Stonewall Jackson brings
all those hornets down on us!"--"If we had a gun--Speak of the
angels!--Unlimber right here, lieutenant!--Got plenty of canister? Now
if the damned infantry would only come on! Thought it was just behind us
when we crossed the ford--What's that off there?"

"That" was a sharp sputter of musketry. "Firing! Who are they firing at?
There aren't any rebels--we took them all prisoners--"

"There's fighting, anyway--wagon escort, maybe. The devil! Look across
the river! Look! All the hornets are coming down--"

Of the detail from the 65th Coffin and two others stood their ground
until the foremost of the herd was crossing the ford near at hand,
large, threatening, trumpeting. Then the three ran like hares, hearts
pounding at their sides, the ocean roaring in their ears, and in every
cell in their bodies an accurate impression that they had been seen, and
that the trumpeting herd meant to run down, kill or capture every grey
soldier in Port Republic! Underfoot was wet knot grass, difficult and
slippery; around was the shrouding mist. They thought the lane ran
through to another street, but it proved a cul-de-sac. Something rose
mistily before them; it turned out to be a cowshed. They flung
themselves against the door, but the door was padlocked. Behind the
shed, between it and a stout board fence, sprang a great clump of wet
elder, tall and rank, with spreading leaves; underneath, black, miry
earth. Into this they crowded, squatted on the earth, turned face toward
the passage up which they had come, and brought their rifles to the
front. A hundred yards away the main herd went by, gigantic in the mist.
The three in the elder breathed deep. "All gone. Gone!--No. There's a
squad coming up here."

The three kneeling in the mire, watching through triangular spaces
between the branchy leaves, grew suddenly, amazingly calm. What was the
sense in being frightened? You couldn't get away. Was there anywhere to
go to one might feel agitation enough, but there wasn't! Coffin handled
his rifle w