"Smith," cried Lieutenant Leigh; "right face--forward!" and as I passed Miss Ross, I heard her sob in a tone I shall never forget: "O Lawrence, Lawrence!" and then a groan rose from her breast, and I heard no more. STORY ONE, CHAPTER FIFTEEN. "This is contrary to rule. As commandant, I ought to stay in the fort; but I've no one to give the leadership to, so I take it myself," said Lieutenant Leigh; "and now, my lads, make ready--present! That's well. Are all ready? At the word `Fire!' Privates Bigley and Smith fire at the two gunners. If they miss, I cry fire again, and Privates Bantem and Grainger try their skill; then, at the double, down on the guns. Smith and I spike them, while Bantem and Grainger cut the cords. Mind this: those guns must be spiked, and those two prisoners brought in; and if the sortie is well managed, it is easy, for they will be taken by surprise. Hush! Confound it, men; no cheering." He only spoke in time, for in the excitement the men were about to hurray. "Now, then, is that gate unbarred?" "Yes, sir." "Is the covering-party ready?" "Yes, sir." My hand trembled as he spoke; but the next instant it was of a piece with my gun-stock. There was the dry square, with the sun shining on the two guns that must have been hot behind the poor prisoners' backs; there stood the two gunners in white, with their smoking linstocks, leaning against the wheels, for discipline was slack; and there, thirty or forty yards behind, were the mutineers, lounging about, and smoking many of them. For all firing had ceased, and judging that we should not risk having the prisoners blown away from the guns, the mutineers came boldly up within range, as if defying us, and it was pretty safe practice at some of them now. I saw all this at a glance, and while it seemed as if the order would never come; but come it did, at last. "Fire!" Bang! the two pieces going off like one; and the gunner behind Captain Dyer leaped into the air, while the one I aimed at seemed to sink down suddenly beside the wheel he had leaned upon. Then the gate flew open, and with a rush and a cheer, we, ten of us, raced down for the guns. Double-quick time! I tell you it was a hard race; and being without my gun now--only my bayonet stack in my trousers' waist-band--I was there first, and had driven my spike into the touch-hole before Lieutenant Leigh reached his; but the next moment his was done, the cords were cut, and the prisoners loose from the guns. But now we had to get back. The first inkling I had of the difficulty of this was seeing Captain Dyer and Harry Lant stagger, and fall forward; but they were saved by the men, and we saw directly that they must be carried. No sooner thought of than done. "Hoist Harry on my back," says Grainger; and he took him like a sack; Bantem acting the same part by Captain Dyer; and those two ran off, while we tried to cover them.