sed several musicians of
the band.

"Start up a tune!" cried Sam. "Play something and follow us." At the
same time he instinctively thrust his hand into his breast pocket and
felt for his traveling Lares and Penates, namely, his tin soldier, his
photographs of East Point, one of Marian, and her last letter.
Meanwhile the band began to play and the bass-drummer wielded his huge
drumstick with all his might. Sam began to feel happier, and so did the
men about him. One of the musicians suddenly fell, struck dead by a
bullet, and just then a shell burst over them and two or three men went
down. With one accord the soldiers began to curse and swear in the most
frightful manner and to insist on speedy vengeance. Sam was surprised
to find himself enjoying the oaths. They just expressed his feelings,
and he hurried on to the edge of the woods. In front of them they saw a
line of their own men lying on the ground behind stones and logs,
shooting at the enemy, whose line could be distinguished hardly more
than a third of a mile away.

"They're nearer than they were," whispered the captain. "We must push
them back or they'll have us. The men on the firing line are getting
scared."

"We must scare them behind more than the enemy does in front," said
Sam, drawing his revolver. "Here you, sir, get back into your place."

A man in the ranks, who was beginning to creep back, saw the revolver
and dropped back in his position with an oath.

"Forward!" cried Sam, now thoroughly in the spirit of the occasion.
"Come up to the front, all of you, and extend our line there to the
right. Lie down and take careful aim with every shot."

The men did as they were told, and Sam took up his position behind the
line with the captain, both of them standing in a perfect gale of
bullets, while all the rest were lying down.

"Lie down," said Sam to the captain. "You've no business to risk your
life like that."

"How about yours, sir?" said the captain, as he obeyed.

"I'll take care of myself, if you'll be good enough to let me,"
answered Sam.

The presence of a staff officer gave new courage to the men, and their
marksmanship began to have effect on the enemy, who were seen to be
gradually falling back. Sam took this opportunity to move his line
forward, and he sent a lieutenant to direct the battery to cover his
men when they should charge on the enemy's line. He moved his line
forward in this way su