suddenly lifted from his head, and at the same moment the sharp crack of
a rifle shattered the stillness of the night.

With a shout of terror the war correspondent threw himself to the ground
and, like an ostrich, seemed to try to bury his head in the hard road.

Hal turned quickly and, taking quick aim with his revolver, fired into
the bushes, a little below the spot where the rifle had flashed fire. A
scream of pain rewarded this shot.

Without waiting to ascertain whether there was more than one of the
enemy, Hal shouted a command, and the British cavalrymen poured a volley
into the woods, aiming low and scattering their fire. Loud guttural
exclamations and shouts were the answer to the fusillade.

Immediately Hal shouted:

"To the ground, men! Down quick!"

He suited the action to the word, as did Chester, Captain Anderson and
all of the troop. They did not fall a moment too soon, for there now came
from the bushes a scattering and withering volley that would have done
terrible execution among the little troop of British, but for the fact
that they were beneath the line of fire.

"Up and into the bushes!" cried Hal.

A moment and the British were screened from the fire of the enemy on the
opposite side of the road, while from their shelter they poured a fire in
the direction of rifle flashes across the highway.