company up the hill to meet, for the first time, an enemy, who was waiting to receive him. He said that the sensation was an indescribable one,—that his heart was in his mouth, and a spasm of sickness passed through his frame, which grew in intensity, until he began to think that, probably, the enemy felt just the same as he did, and gradually that terrible agony passed from him.

The enemy crossed the last fence and was now coming forward, fully a hundred men, along the side of the hill, and over obstructions that horses could not have passed.

Onward and upward. Why would not Antonio give the word to fire. The boys saw more than101 one of the men look toward him. The rifles were held ready for the trigger; still Antonio remained cool and impassive.

101

"Look at Antonio," said Alfred, under his breath. Then when he turned to look at Ralph he saw the gun in his hand trembling, and Alfred for the first time realized that his own hand was not steady, and it might be said that many a gun trembled at the first experience, for, aside from Antonio, few, if any, in that firing line had ever been in actual battle.

"Now, ready," said Antonio. The great suspense was over. Nobody looked toward Antonio now. They were looking toward the enemy. The guns ceased their trembling. All were firmly clasped as they awaited the next word.

"Fire!" The word came like a shriek. There was no necessity for silence now.

Every gun in the column spoke. And now each man, at command, began to fire at will. The boys were so excited that they did not know whether or not they served the guns properly. There was an overweening desire to see what the results of the shots were. Then something occurred which they had overlooked in the intensity of their feelings.

It was the roar of a hundred guns below them. They had momentarily forgotten that the enemy could also shoot. The boys, like the others, were behind a stone fence which ran directly across the hill.

Besides the roar of the guns they could now102 plainly hear the impact of the leaden bullets on this barricade. They had an awfully sickening sound. Sometimes, when the bullets passed over, they could hear a whizzing sound.

102

"Do you hear the sounds like bumble bees?" said Ralph to Roland.

"They must be 

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