that under
Lieutenant Ropes, to get in the rear of the fugitives. And they had
succeeded. Only a bushy ridge concealed them from Stackridge's men, who
were coming up under the shelter of the same ridge on the other side.

Penn trembled with excitement as he saw the rebels cross swiftly
forward, skulking among the bushes, to the summit of the ridge. The
negro's eyes blazed, but he was perfectly cool. On one knee, his left
foot advanced,--holding his rifle with one hand, and parting the bushes
with the other,--he smiled as he observed the situation.

"Here," said he to Penn, "rest your gun in this little crotch. Now can
you see to take aim?"

"Yes," said Penn, with his heart in his throat.

"Calm your nerves! Everything depends on our first shot. Wait till I
give the word. See! they have discovered Stackridge!"

"We might shout, and warn him," said Penn, whose nature still shrank
from using any more deadly means of saving his friends.

"And so discover ourselves! That never'll do. Have you sighted your
man?"

"Yes--the one lying on his belly behind that cedar."

"Very well! I'll take the fellow next him. The moment you have fired,
keep perfectly still, only draw your gun back and load. Now--fire!"

Just then Stackridge and his men, in full view of their hidden friends
on the ledge, were appearing to the fifteen ambushed rebels also.
Suddenly the loud bang of a musket, followed instantly by the sharp
crack of a rifle, echoed down the mountain side. The rebel behind the
cedar sprang to his feet, dropping his gun, and throwing up his hands,
and rushed back down the ridge, screaming, "I'm hit! I'm hit!" while the
man next him also attempted to rise, but fell again, Pomp having
discreetly aimed at an exposed leg.

"I'm glad we've only wounded them!" whispered Penn, very pale, his lips
compressed, his eyes gleaming.

"It has the effect!" said Pomp. "Your friends have discovered the
ambush, thanks to that coward's uproar; and now the rascals are
panic-struck! Fire again as they go into the ravine--powder alone will
do now--a little noise will send them tumbling!"

They accordingly fired blank discharges; at the same time Stackridge and
his friends, recovering from their momentary astonishment, charged after
the retreating rebels, who had barely time to carry off their wounded
and escape into the ravine, when their pursuers scaled the ridge.

"I'm off!" said Pomp, creeping back through the savins. "These men are