tain's voice through the din.

Frank saw those next him throw themselves down behind a fallen tree. He
did the same. The trunk presented an excellent rest for his musket, and
he fired across it. But when he came to load, he found difficulty. He had
been exercised in the manual of arms, yet the operation of ramming the
cartridge while on his back was beyond his practice. Give him time, and
he could do it. But he felt that time was precious, and that every shot
told.

He glanced at Atwater, resting on his left side as he brought his gun
back after discharging it; taking out his cartridge; then turning on his
back, holding the piece with both hands and placing the butt between his
feet; and in that position, with the barrel over his breast, charging
cartridge, drawing rammer, and so forth.

All which the tall soldier performed scientifically and quickly. Yet
Frank saw that it took even him much longer to load lying than standing.
What, then, could he hope to do?

What he did was this. He deliberately got upon his feet, and with the
balls singing around him, proceeded unconcernedly with his loading.

"Down!" called Atwater to him; "down! You're making a target of
yourself!"

Frank resolutely went on with his loading.

"Down, there! down, Frank!" shouted Captain Edney.

Frank shouted back,--

"I can't load unless I stand up, sir!"

"Never mind that! Down!" repeated his captain, peremptorily.

"I've got my cartridge down, any way," said Frank, triumphantly, dropping
again behind the log.

"Why don't you obey orders?" cried Gray.

"The orders were to load and fire, and I was bound to obey them before
any others!" said Frank, preparing to prime.

Just then Atwater, who was again on his back, suddenly dropped his piece,
which fell across his left arm, and brought his right hand to his breast.
The movement was so abrupt and unusual it attracted Frank's attention.

"Are you hit, Abe?"

And in an instant he saw the answer to his hurried question in a gush of
blood which crimsoned the poor, brave fellow's breast.

"It has come!" said Atwater.

"How could it--and you lying down so!" ejaculated Frank.

"I don't know--never mind me!" replied Abe, faintly.

Then Frank remembered the mysterious shots aimed at him and Sinjin in the
woods, and the subsequent solution of the mystery. He looked up--all
around--overhead.

"What's the trouble, Manly?" screamed Tucket. "What do you see?"

"There!" Frank shouted, poin