y direction.

Within two minutes from the time I first saw the Britishers, no less
than five men near me were stricken down, and the sight of the gaping
wounds, together with the moans of the sufferers, gave me a sensation
of faintness which was well-nigh overpowering.

"Stand steady you lads from the Avenger!" Darius cried sharply,
warned, no doubt, by the sight of our pale faces that we were growing
sick in more ways than one. "Somebody must get hurt, else the battle
would never be over, an' we're here to spoil the Britishers' fun,
which we shall do mighty soon. Joshua Barney is only waitin' for the
proper time, an' when he gives the word to begin work, there'll be a
change of tune."

At that moment, and before a gun had been fired, the militiamen in
front of us broke into a run toward the rear, many of them throwing
down their muskets as they took part in a most disgraceful retreat.

For the credit of our flotillamen, and the marines, I must set it down
that not one of them wavered when the retreat was begun, and after the
last of the cowards was in the rear I heard the commodore shout:

"Now's your time, lads! Give it to 'em hot an' strong, but make every
charge count!"

Then our ship's guns were discharged, and the faintness left me as I
saw the missiles cut down long lanes in the red-coated ranks; the
smell of burning powder must have got into my brain, for from that
moment I knew nothing save that my musket was to be loaded and
discharged as rapidly as possible.

Men fell around me by the score, yet I gave no heed to the evidences
of suffering. Once, a man shot through the head, pitched forward
directly into my arms, covering me with blood as he sank dead at my
feet, and yet, unused though I was to such scenes, it caused me no
other feeling than that of anger because he had spoiled my aim.

I knew nothing of what was going on immediately in front of me, save
that the red line, now broken by many a gap, was before my eyes; that
it advanced, fell back and advanced again, sending among us such a
shower of bullets that the buzzing in the air was like unto a swarm of
angry bees.

Once Jerry tried to say something to me, but I pushed him back
petulantly, so strong a hold had the fever of battle upon me. My
musket barrel grew hot to the touch, and it was no longer possible to
charge it properly. Without compunctions I exchanged weapons with one
of the dead men at my feet, and continued the work, shouting alou