ranks!" said Captain
Edney.

"I would like to have you try me, sir."

You may know that Captain Edney loved the boy to whom he gave so many
words and such serious thought at a time of action and peril. Perhaps he
had heard of Winch's pusillanimity, and understood the spirit which
prompted Frank to fill his place. Certain it is he saw in the lad's eye
the guarantee that, if permitted, he would give no cowardly account of
himself that day. So, reluctantly, dreading lest evil might happen to
him, he granted his request; and with a thrill of joy, Frank sprang to
Atwater's side.

"I'm here, old Abe!"

"I'm glad--and sorry!" said Abe.

The company had halted, awaiting the movement of the troops in front.

"We are getting into a splendid position!" said Gray, who had passed
through the undergrowth to reconnoitre. "We're fairly on their flank, and
not discovered yet!"

"How far did you go?" asked Captain Edney.

"To the clearing, which is just there where the woods look lighter. I
could see the guns of the battery blazing away, and rebels in the woods
supporting it. They're too busy to notice us."

"We're discovered, though!" said Captain Edney as a bullet came chipping
its way among the twigs above them.

"The sharpshooters are after us!" said Gray, gayly. "And now we're after
them!"

The order was given to advance. The men dashed forward through the
bushes. They soon made the clearing, and marching along its edge, opened
fire by file upon the battery and the rebels in the woods.

"You do well, Frank!" said Atwater, seeing his young companion coolly
loading and firing at his side.

"It's a perfect surprise to them! they didn't think we could do it!"
cried Gray, elated. "Lively, boys! lively."

The firing, regular at first, running along the line from right to left,
soon became a continual rattling, each man loading at will, and firing
whenever an enemy's head showed itself.

"There! I popped you over, you sneaking rebel!" cried Seth Tucket,
watching the effect of his shot. "Take the fellow next to him there,
Harris! behind that stump!"

"Let him put up his head a little higher!" said Harris, taking aim.

He fired. The rebel dropped, not behind the stump, but beside it.

"You've saved him!" shouted Tucket. "That'll pay for Ellis and Jack
Winch!"

The fire of the enemy in the woods was soon concentrated on Captain
Edney's company, which happened to be most exposed.

"Fire and load lying!" rang the cap