Beyond to the front he could see a line of troops firing at
the enemy from behind a wall. Of the Cubapinos he could see nothing but
the smoke of their guns and muskets here and there. Shells were falling
in another part of the field, but nowhere near him. Bullets were
flying thick through the air, and he heard them hissing constantly. As
he looked he saw one of the Gatling crew fall over, doubled up in a
heap. Sam moved along in the wood nearer to this gun, so that he might
ask where he could find the brigade commander. As he approached he
heard the lieutenant say:

"Damn those sharp-shooters. They've got our range now. With this damned
smokeless powder they can pick us all off. Clark, bring some of that
artificial smoke stuff here."

The soldier obeyed, and in a few moments a dense smoke rose above them,
covering the whole neighborhood.

"What a wonderful thing these inventions are!" thought Sam, as he tied
his horse to a tree and advanced crouching toward the battery. The
lieutenant pointed out to him the position of the brigadier-general,
some distance back on the right under cover of the jungle, and told him
of a path that would take him there. Sam was not slow to follow his
directions, for just then a shell exploded close by. He soon found the
general surrounded by his staff on a partially wooded hill, from
which, however, they could command the field with their glasses.
Bullets were flying about them, and an occasional shell sailed over
their heads, but the general seemed perfectly at home. He took the
orders, opened them and read them.

"That's strange," said he. "Last night I understood that I was to make
for that pass between the hills there on the left, and now I'm ordered
to take the first turning to the right. I don't understand it. Do you
know anything about it?"

"No, sir."

"Well, he must have changed his mind. Or else it was a bluff to keep
his plans from leaking out. Tell the general that I will carry out his
orders at once."

Sam inquired of the members of the staff where he would be likely to
find the 43d Volunteers, to whose colonel his other orders were
directed, but they had no information, except that in the morning that
regiment had been stationed farther over on the right. Sam started out
again, guiding himself as best he could by a compass which he had in
his pocket. He selected the paths which seemed most promising, but the
jungle between was imp