y have been broken after having been quarried
below; the surface was now level, and here the gun had come to a
standstill.

But the scene was terrible enough. The six horses lay together in a
heap. Again and again they tried to raise themselves, but in such close
proximity one hindered the other. Amidst the panting and snorting of
the frantic animals could be heard the groans of Sickel, who was lying
somewhere under one of them.

Heppner had recovered his self-possession in a moment. He called the
four gunners to him, and was himself the first to jump down into the
hollow. Vertler, the gun-leader, was close by on his horse, but
scarcely seemed able to grasp what had happened. Heppner caught sight
of Sickel at once. He lay with his left leg under the Turk's body, and
was shielding himself behind the neck of the gelding to avoid being
struck by the hoofs of the centre horse, who was kicking furiously.

"Here! Vogt and Truchsess!" commanded Heppner. "We'll pull him out."
They grasped the bombardier under the arms and tried to drag him out
from under the horse. But it was not so easy, and at the very moment
when they stooped for a second attempt, one of the lead horses made a
sudden movement which knocked Vogt down. The gunner got entangled in
the drag-ropes and could not get up again.

Eidechse, the centre horse, again began to kick. She had a yawning
wound in the buttock from which the blood streamed, and she writhed,
mad with pain. Lying on her back she turned herself to and fro, and the
gleaming iron shoes flashed nearer and nearer to Vogt's head, at last
striking him so that his helmet flew off and the blood gushed from
beneath his fair, close-cropped hair.

Klitzing saw the increasing peril, and of a sudden flung himself
blindly beneath the infuriated, plunging hoofs.

Like lightning it had flashed across his brain how Vogt had once shed
his blood for him. Was not this the time to show his gratitude? This
was perhaps the object of his existence to save the life of that other,
stronger than he. And was not this his lucky day? He felt in him the
strength of a giant. Yes, he would stop those terrible hoofs until his
friend could get free. And in an ecstasy of confidence he threw himself
like a shield between his friend and danger.

The next moment he had received a furious kick in the side. He was
hurled to a distance, and fell lifeless to the ground.

Vogt in the meanwhile had freed himself and risen quickly, o