When I did as he told me, I saw mayhap fifty of our people searching the bodies of the dead lobster backs for powder and balls in order that their own scanty store might be replenished. I also saw one of our men raise a Britisher's canteen to his lips and drink, and then all my desire for water came once more, until it seemed as if my tongue was like a dry stick clicking against the roof of my mouth. Perspiration was streaming down my face and from my hands, and in my desire for moisture I scraped it from my cheek, finding it hot and salty, causing soreness of the tongue and a certain nausea of the stomach. Then there was no longer any opportunity for me to consider my own desires or suffering. The marines in the barges had landed, and forming in line with those ranks of red, were advancing once more, this time, as I understood full well, with greater fury than at the first assault because of having the deaths of their comrades to avenge. At this moment the cannonading from the ships seemed to be redoubled, and I could see thrown from the guns on Copp's hill great pieces of something, larger than three or four cannon balls together, which fell among the houses in the town, and, bursting open, set fire in all directions until it seemed to me that every building on the main street was in flames, while the smoke drifted over our fortification until it shut out from view even the enemy. "Stand by your muskets, lads; this is but a trick to prevent us from seeing what the troops are doing!" some one shouted, and just then, as if God himself was aiding us of the colonies, the first breeze of wind I had felt that day came up from the west, sweeping away the smoke until we could see line after line of the Britishers marching steadily up the hill, but not coming in such close formation, being forced to turn aside here and there lest they trample upon the bodies of those who were left behind during the first retreat. I heard some one near me say that General Howe was marching in advance of his men; but I failed to single him out. It seemed impossible to center my attention upon any one place; I could see only the blaze of red with the sunlight tipping the steel bayonets until one's eyes ached from the glare. Again we were cautioned not to fire until the word had been given, and this time, having had somewhat of experience, we obeyed, standing with beating hearts, parched throats, and joints aching from the labor of the night, to cut down once more that apparently resistless wave. Then came the command, and as before, the red-coats fell to the earth in dozens and twenties until it seemed to me, who was the same as looking through a veil of red, that those who were upon the ground lay there in sufficient numbers to form a breastwork for the advancing men. I could see here and there officers beating men onward with the flat of their swords, forcing them toward our intrenchments from which came such a deadly fire.