they advanced again, sending a
heavy return fire from their rifles, while the artillery on their flank
replied to that of the South.

The combat now became fierce. The Invincibles in the very thick of it
advanced to the water's edge, and fired as fast as they could load and
reload. Huge volumes of smoke gathered over both sides of Bull Run,
and men fell fast. There was also a rain of twigs and boughs as
the bullets and shells cut them through, and the dense, heated air,
shot through with smoke, burned the throats of blue and gray.

But the South had the advantage of position and numbers. Moreover,
those riflemen on the flanks of the Northern troops burned them
terribly and they were weary, too, with long marching in dust and heat.
As the artillery and rifle fire converged upon them and became heavier
and heavier they were forced to give way. They yielded ground slowly,
until they were beyond range of the cannon, and then, brushing off the
fierce swarm of sharpshooters on their flank, they retreated all the
way back to the village, whence they had come.

The firing on the Southern side of Bull Run ceased suddenly, and the
smoke began to drift away. The Invincibles, save those who had fallen
to stay, stood up and shouted. They had won the greatest victory in the
world, and they flung taunts in the direction of the retreating foe.

"Stop that!" shouted Colonel Talbot, striding up and down the line.
"This is only a beginning. Wait until we have a real battle."

"This has happened for the best," said Happy Tom, "but I'd like to know
what the colonel calls a real battle. The fire was so loud I couldn't
hear myself speak, and I know at least a million men were engaged.
Arthur, how can you be cool enough to bathe your face in that water?"

"It's to make it cool," replied St. Clair, who had stooped over Bull Run,
and was laving his face. "I feel that dust and burned gunpowder are
thick all over me."

He stood up, his face now clean, and began to arrange his uniform.
Then he carefully dusted his coat and trousers.

"Hope you are all ready for another battle, Arthur," said Tom.

"Not yet," replied St. Clair laughing. "That will do me for quite a
while."

St. Clair had his wish. The enemy seemed to have enough for the time.
The hot, breathless day passed without any further advance. Now and
then they heard the Northern bugles, and the scouts reported that the
foe was still gathering heavily not far away, but