e my head.

"I was safe enough, for the matter of that; at least none were likely to
discover me, as I could easily see, by the rust of the chain and he
grass-grown edges, that the well had been long disused. Now the position
was far from being pleasant. There stood the farm-house, full of
soldiers, the muskets ranging over every approach to where I lay. Of my
comrades, there was nothing to be seen, they had either missed the way
or retreated: and so time crept on, and I pondered on what might be
going forward elsewhere, and whether it would ever be my own fortune to
see my comrades again.

"It might be an hour--it seemed three or four to me--after this, as I
looked over the plain, I saw the caps of our infantry just issuing over
the brushwood, and a glancing lustre of their bayonets, as the sun
tipped them. They were advancing, but, as it seemed, slowly--halting at
times, and then moving forward again, just like a force waiting for
others to come up. At last they debouched into the plain; but, to my
surprise, they wheeled about to the right, leaving the farm-house on
their flank, as if to march beyond it. This was to lose their way
totally: nothing would be easier than to carry the position of the farm,
for the Germans were evidently few, had no videttes, and thought
themselves in perfect security. I crept out from my ambush, and holding
my cap on a stick, tried to attract notice from our fellows, but none
saw me. I ventured at last to shout aloud, but with no better success;
so that, driven to the end of my resources, I set to and beat a
'roulade' on the drum, thundering away with all my might, and not caring
what might come of it, for I was half mad with vexation as well as
despair. They heard me now; I saw a staff officer gallop up to the head
of the leading division, and halt them: a volley came peppering from
behind me, but without doing me any injury, for I was safe once more in
my bucket. Then came another pause, and again I repeated my manoeuvre,
and to my delight perceived that our fellows were advancing at quick
march. I beat harder, and the drums of the grenadiers answered me. All
right now, thought I, as, springing forward, I called out, 'This way,
boys; the wall of the orchard has scarcely a man to defend it;' and I
rattled out the 'pas-de-charge' with all my force. One crashing fire of
guns and small arms answered me from the farm-house; and then away went
the Germans as hard as they could; such running