Now lest it seem by the many words which I have set down that this battle was being carried on a very long while, let me say that from the time our people opened fire until we lads had gained the position of which I have spoken, less than ten minutes had passed. Our aim was to gain the place where we had seen Seth Hastings, and to do this it would be necessary to pass directly across the rear of the enemy’s line, by traversing a distance of perhaps a quarter of a mile straight through the swamp, and even Gabriel hesitated to lead us along this treacherous footing. “We may find ourselves mired before going very far,” I ventured to say as we hesitated a single instant before making the attempt, and the dear lad replied in a tone of encouragement: “It can be no worse for us than for the redcoats. If we are unable to advance, surely they cannot fall upon us.” Then once more he led the way, and we followed, speedily to find ourselves floundering in mud nearly waist-deep, making such a racket that but for the noise of the firing the enemy must have heard and supposed a full company of men were endeavoring to make their way over the bog. It was not possible we could continue such a laborious advance for many seconds without stopping to take breath, and when we were forced to halt Edward Marshall bent back the bushes until we could see the rear rank of that red-coated line. Then we discovered that they were scurrying to the left in the hope of gaining the river-bank, thus showing that they did not hope to cross the swamp. The temptation was too great to be resisted, and Gabriel raised his weapon as a signal that we should fire at the targets before us. There was no reason why we could not take careful aim, and at the first volley it was possible to see the line of scarlet waver, thus showing that the fire from the rear had struck terror into the hearts of a score or more. “Give it to them once again,” Gabriel whispered, hurriedly reloading his weapon, and we did more than obey the command, for three volleys were fired before we changed position. By that time, to our intense surprise and delight, had been effected a wondrous change in affairs. The redcoats must have believed, as indeed they had good reason, that reinforcements had come up in the rear. The smoke of our third volley had not cleared away before we heard a ringing shout from near the river-bank, and saw that line of red broken here and there as the soldiers fled in a panic. Verily we lads had done good work for the Cause that night, and yet in accomplishing so much did it appear as if we had defeated our purpose, for with the enemy in hot flight there was no possibility of our creeping around to the left of the line in order to aid Archie. “We have destroyed the last hope for the poor lad!” I cried as the result of the victory was thus forced upon me, and there was a tone of sorrow in Gabriel’s voice even though his words rang out triumphantly: