in lines of the Johnnies."

It was obvious that it was unwise to go farther until the whole army came
up, as they heard other trumpets calling now, and they were not their own
but those of their enemies. Early had not been caught napping. The dark
lines of his infantry were advancing to retake the little fort. The
cavalry was reduced in an instant from the offensive to the defensive,
and dismounting and sending their horses to the rear, where they were
held by every tenth man, they waited with carbines ready, the masses of
men in gray bearing down upon them. Dick wondered if the Invincibles
were there before him. Second thought told him that it was unlikely,
as the advancing troops were infantry, and he knew that the Invincibles
were now mounted.

"Now, lads," said Colonel Winchester, going down the ranks, "ready with
your rifles!"

The Southern infantry came on to the steady beating of a drum somewhere,
but as they drew near the fort a sheet of bullets poured upon them,
and drove them back, leaving the ground sprinkled with the fallen.
Again and again they reformed and returned to the charge always to meet
the same fate.

"Brave fellows!" exclaimed Warner, "but they can't retake this fort from
us!"

After the last repulse Colonel Winchester drew out his men, mounted them,
and charging the infantry in flank sent them far down the road toward
Winchester, where heavy columns came to their support. But the
Winchester men had time to breathe, and also to exult, as they had
suffered but little loss. While they remained at the captured fort,
awaiting further orders, they watched the battle elsewhere, flaring in a
long irregular line across the valley.

The rifle fire was heavy and the big guns of Early were sweeping the
roads with shell and grapeshot. As well as Dick could see through his
glasses, the only success yet achieved was that of the cavalry at the
fort. Sheridan himself had not yet appeared, and the hopes of the three
sank a little. They had seen so many triumphs nearly achieved and then
lost that they could believe in nothing until it was done.

But the morning was yet very young. While the east had long been full of
light, the golden glow was just enveloping the west. The rifles crashed
incessantly and the heavy thunder of the cannon gave the steady sound a
deeper note. The fire of the defending Southern force made a red stream
across the hills and fields.

"It's too early to have a battle,"