Unexpectedly, though, I heard a cry from somewhere behind, then a heavy fall, and another, as a couple of horses went down, and caused some confusion; but to stop to help the unfortunates was impossible at such a time. It was the fortune of war, as we all knew; and we tore on, till a note from the trumpet rose from our left; then another, and the fierce gallop was changed to a trot, and evolution after evolution was executed to bring the retiring regiment into formation of troops. Soon after this was completed a fresh call brought us to a walk, and directly after to a halt to breathe the panting horses. "Dismount, my lads," cried the Colonel. This order was to enable the brave beasts to have the full advantage of our halt. "Hurt?" was asked excitedly on all sides; but every answer was in the negative, and we stood there by our troopers and chargers in the darkness, listening to the wild excitement from the distance. The firing was still going on, but in a confused, desultory way; and for the moment it seemed as if we had made good our escape, and had nothing to do but mount and ride quietly away. That was how it struck me, and I said so to Denham. "Oh no," he said anxiously. "Didn't you see?" "See what?" I asked. "Why, we were riding straight on into another body of the enemy after we had cut through the first." "No," I said. "Who could see through this darkness?" "Well, I didn't at first; but when the Colonel dashed up with the trumpeter and turned us off to the left, I looked out for the reason, and there it was: a long line of the brutes, blazing away in our direction. You must have heard the bullets." "Yes, I heard them," I said, "but I thought they came from behind." "Some of them did, my lad, and I'm afraid we've left a good many poor fellows behind. But them, it can't be helped. The thing now to be settled is which way we are to go next. Listen; the officers are nearly all with the chief now, and the whole plain seems to be dotted with the enemy." Denham had hardly done speaking when a movement a short distance from us resulted in the officers joining their troops and squadrons. Then the order to mount was passed softly from troop to troop, and we waited for the little force to be put in motion again. "It's of no use for the chief to try the same ruse again," whispered Denham. "It was right enough as a surprise; but the enemy is on the alert now. It seems to me we are as completely surrounded as before." "Never mind," I said, as cheerily as I could; "we shall do it yet." "Oh yes, we shall do it yet," replied my companion; "but it must be done quietly and quickly, while it's dark. I say, though, what about your black boy? He couldn't have kept up with our mad gallop." "Joeboy?" I said in an excited whisper. "Joeboy? I forgot all about him;" and a pang of misery shot through me. "He was holding on by your saddle--wasn't he?"