He spoke to Haynes, who gave the orders for four men to fall out. The litter was seized, Sergeant Craig carefully lifted upon it, the doctor looking on wonderingly; and then, as the men raised the handles, Brace spoke again. "Dobbs," he said sharply, "fall out and take charge of the horses." The lad stepped back, and as he did so a gleam of sunshine through the trees made his trumpet flash for a moment. The next he was standing by the beautiful animals which were impatiently champing their bits and pawing the ground. Then Brace made Haynes a sign, and the men turned right face, and with Haynes at their head, filed off, the bearers falling in with their load, and the doctor looking undecided. "Follow the wounded man, sir," said Brace, and the doctor immediately took his place at the end of the little column, while we stood watching them till they had disappeared among the trees. "We may succeed even now, Gil," said my companion; "but once more, while there is time, speak out frankly to me as if I were your brother; the trumpeter cannot hear. Do you feel--well, to be plain--frightened?" "I suppose so," I said. "It's a curious nervous sensation." "Then give up, and follow the men, and I'll go alone." "You said I was to speak to you as if you were my brother," I said. "Yes." "Then I will speak," I said through my teeth. "It is to my brother, and not to my commanding-officer. I won't. I'll go with you now if I die for it." And all the time the feeling of dread I felt was horrible, and worse than all was that the feeling grew. Brace caught my hand and wrung it. "Well done!" he said in a low voice. "I can see. I know the sensation; but that's the way. Fight it down." "I'm trying," I said, huskily; "but I wish I was not such a coward." "I don't, Gil," he said, smiling, "There, now we have a horrible task before us to wait nearly an hour. Dobbs, follow us with the horses, and keep about twenty yards behind." He advanced to the three noble beasts, and began to examine their bridles, and then tightened their girths himself, before saying shortly, "Now forward," and, carrying the scabbard of his sword, he led the way once more to the edge of the wood, where, after taking care that we were carefully screened, he swept the plain with his eyes, and then took out his glass. "Yes, that will do," he said to the trumpeter, who had stopped with the bridles of the horses in his hands and a look of eager excitement in his eyes, as he evidently anticipated riding that day instead of a long weary tramp. Brace used his glass and watched the town, making comments to me from time to time. "All very quiet," he said. "Our lads must have an hour, for they may find the tangle very hard to get through."