Grant's voice, and
then, sharp as a blow, rang out Farrell's whistle at my very ear.

There was a leap of flame from both sides the road, lighting up that gash
in the clay bank as though it was an inferno, the red and yellow glow
cleaving the night asunder, with ear-splitting roar. I was on my feet, my
rifle spitting, yet hardly conscious of any act, stunned by the
suddenness of the reports, confused by those black figures leaping
forward through the weird glare. I saw and heard, and yet it was all a
confused medley, in which I bore active part while scarcely realizing its
significance. I saw men reel stumbling back, some falling heavily; I
heard shouts, oaths, cries of pain, the piercing shrieks of stricken
animals; there was the crunch of blows, a wild, inhuman cheer, a gruff
order yelled above the uproar, the rush of bodies hardly distinguishable.
The thin line of Hessians were flung aside as though they were paper men;
eager hands gripped the astounded Rangers, and dragged them from their
saddles. It was a fierce hand-to-hand _melee_ so swiftly fought as to be
over with almost in a minute, and yet so desperate the narrow roadway was
strewn with bodies. Frightened horses whirled and ran; wagons were
overturned; hemmed in against the high walls, Germans and British made
one mad effort to extricate themselves; the advance guard came spurring
back, pushing blindly into the ruck, the boyish voice of their young
lieutenant sounding above the uproar. But our men were between the two, a
compact body, each borderman fighting independently, but knowing the
game. I heard no word of command, no shout of direction from either
Farrell or Duval, yet we ripped them asunder with sweeping rifle butts,
and, almost before I could catch a second breath, the few who remained on
their feet were helplessly trapped. Farrell saw it was all over, and his
whistle sounded again, stilling the uproar. Up to that moment he was
beside me; with the echoing of the shrill blast he had disappeared.

It was Duval who emerged from the wreck of the train, demanding
surrender.

"Who commands here?" he shouted. "Speak up quick."

There was hesitancy, and then out of the black mass huddled against the
bank I recognized Grant's voice.

"I suppose I do; has any one seen Captain Delavan?"

"He fell at the first fire, sir," answered some one huskily.

Grant stepped forth into the moonlight, bareheaded, his sword in hand.

"Then I am the senior officer,"