keen eyes among their officers caught sight of the armed dark line before
the warehouse. The voice of the trumpet suddenly pealed forth again,
and now it was loud and menacing.

"It's the charge!" cried Sherburne, "and I can see that they're all you
said, Kenton! A magnificent body, truly! Ready, men! Ready! For God's
sake don't fire too soon! Wait for the word! Wait for the word!"

He was all the leader now, and in the excitement of the moment McGee
did not notice it. The superior mind, the one keen to see and to act,
was in control.

"Here, Kenton!" cried Sherburne, "hold back these recruits! My own men
will do exactly as I say!"

Harry ran along the infantry line, and here and there he knocked down
rifles which were raised already, although the enemy was yet three
hundred yards away. But he saw a figure in front of the charging horsemen
wave a sword. Then the trumpet blew another call, short but fierce and
menacing, and the ground thundered as nearly a thousand horsemen swept
forward, uttering a tremendous shout, their sabers flashing in the
moonlight.

Harry felt a moment of admiration and then another moment of pity.
These men, charging so grandly, did not know that the defenders had been
reinforced. Nor did they know that they rode straight to what was swift
and sudden death for many of them.

It was hard to stand steady and not pull the trigger, while that line of
flashing steel galloped upon them, but the dismounted cavalrymen looked