"Forward, men!" said Somers, repeating the order of Captain Benson. The men were scattered along an irregular line, and firing into the bushes, which partially concealed the rebel skirmishers. Somers's platoon advanced a little more rapidly than the rest of the line, being favored with a few rods of dry ground. He had urged them forward for the purpose of dislodging three sharpshooters perched in a large tree. "Come down, rebs!" shouted Somers, as he reached the foot of the tree, and told half a dozen of his men to point their guns towards them. "What d'ye say, Yank?" demanded one of them. "Will you come down head first, or feet first? Take your choice quick!" replied the lieutenant. "As you seem to be in arnest, we'll come down the nateral way." They did come down without a more pressing invitation, and were disarmed, ready to be sent to the rear. CHAPTER VI THE REBEL SHARPSHOOTERS "Lieutenant Somers, I don't think I can stand it much longer," said Phineas Deane, a private, who had joined the regiment a few days before the battle, as he saluted his officer. "Can't stand what?" "The fact on't is, lieutenant, I'm sick. I haven't felt well for two or three days. I come out here to fight for my country, and I want to do some good. I might help take them prisoners back, if you say so." "Sick, are you? What's the matter?" "I've got a bad pain in the bowels," replied Phineas, as he placed himself on the right side of a tree, and glanced uneasily in the direction of the rebel skirmish line. "I'm subject to sich turns, but allus git over 'em if I have a chance to lay down for a few hours." "Oh, well, you can lie down here!" added Somers, who understood the case pretty well. "What! down here in the mud and water? Wal, that would be rather steep for a sick man," said Phineas, with a ghastly smile, as he glanced again towards the enemy. "I will get some medicine for you. Here, uncle, let me have one of your powders," continued the lieutenant, addressing old Hapgood. "Sartin; they've done me heaps of good, and I'm sure they're just the thing for that man." Somers took one of the powders, and opened the paper. "Now, my man, open your mouth, and let me give you this medicine," he added. "What kind of medicine is it?" "It'll make you kinder sick to the stomach; but it'll cure you in less'n half an hour." "Well, lieutenant, I don't know as I want to take any medicine," answered poor Phineas, who was not prepared for this active treatment; though he would have taken it quick enough if he could be sent to the rear. "I guess I don't keer about takin' on it." "You needn't, if you don't want to get well." "I only want to go back to camp, and lay down for a spell." "We can't spare you just yet, Phineas; but, if you don't stir yourself, you will lie down here somewhere, and never get up again," added Somers, as a shower of bullets passed over their heads. "Forward, boys!"