one of them having been struck by the bullets which sang around, while
some of the soldiers speedily filled in the grave.

While the sad procession had been absent, the boys had gone to Mrs.
Hargreaves' room. The curtain was drawn, and they could hear the girls
sobbing inside.

"Please, Miss Hargreaves, can I speak to you for a moment?" Ned said. "I
would not intrude, but it is something particular."

Edith Hargreaves came to the door.

"Please," Ned went on, "will you give us two good-sized pieces of sponge?
We don't know any one else to ask, and--but you must not say a word to any
one--my brother and myself mean to go out to-night to silence that battery
which is doing such damage."

"Silence that battery!" Edith exclaimed in surprise. "Oh, if you could do
that; but how is it possible?"

"Oh, you dear boy," Nelly, who had come to the door, exclaimed
impetuously, "if you could but do that, every one would love you. We shall
all be killed if that terrible battery goes on. But how are you going to
do it?"

"I don't say we are going to do it," Ned said, smiling at the girl's
excitement, "but we are going to try to-night. We'll tell you all about it
in the morning when it is done; that is," he said seriously, "if we come
back to tell it. But you must not ask any questions now, and please give
us the pieces of sponge." Edith disappeared for a moment, and came back