第42章

THE ragged line had respite for some min-utes, but during its pause the struggle in the forest became magnified until the trees seemed to quiver from the firing and the ground to shake from the rushing of the men.The voices of the cannon were mingled in a long and interminable row.It seemed difficult to live in such an atmos-phere.The chests of the men strained for a bit of freshness, and their throats craved water.

There was one shot through the body, who raised a cry of bitter lamentation when came this lull.Perhaps he had been calling out during the fighting also, but at that time no one had heard him.But now the men turned at the woe-ful complaints of him upon the ground.

"Who is it? Who is it?"

"It's Jimmie Rogers.Jimmie Rogers."

When their eyes first encountered him there was a sudden halt, as if they feared to go near.

He was thrashing about in the grass, twisting his 171shuddering body into many strange postures.

He was screaming loudly.This instant's hesita-tion seemed to fill him with a tremendous, fantas-tic contempt, and he damned them in shrieked sentences.

The youth's friend had a geographical illusion concerning a stream, and he obtained permission to go for some water.Immediately canteens were showered upon him."Fill mine, will yeh?" "Bring me some, too." "And me, too."He departed, ladened.The youth went with his friend, feeling a desire to throw his heated body onto the stream and, soaking there, drink quarts.

They made a hurried search for the supposed stream, but did not find it."No water here,"said the youth.They turned without delay and began to retrace their steps.

From their position as they again faced to-ward the place of the fighting, they could of course comprehend a greater amount of the bat-tle than when their visions had been blurred by the hurling smoke of the line.They could see dark stretches winding along the land, and on one cleared space there was a row of guns mak-ing gray clouds, which were filled with large flashes of orange-colored flame.Over some foli-age they could see the roof of a house.One win-dow, glowing a deep murder red, shone squarely through the leaves.From the edifice a tall lean-ing tower of smoke went far into the sky.

Looking over their own troops, they saw mixed masses slowly getting into regular form.

The sunlight made twinkling points of the bright steel.To the rear there was a glimpse of a dis-tant roadway as it curved over a slope.It was crowded with retreating infantry.From all the interwoven forest arose the smoke and bluster of the battle.The air was always occupied by a blaring.

Near where they stood shells were flip-flap-ping and hooting.Occasional bullets buzzed in the air and spanged into tree trunks.Wounded men and other stragglers were slinking through the woods.

Looking down an aisle of the grove, the youth and his companion saw a jangling general and his staff almost ride upon a wounded man, who was crawling on his hands and knees.The general reined strongly at his charger's opened and foamy mouth and guided it with dexterous horsemanship past the man.The latter scram-bled in wild and torturing haste.His strength evidently failed him as he reached a place of safety.One of his arms suddenly weakened, and he fell, sliding over upon his back.He lay stretched out, breathing gently.

A moment later the small, creaking cavalcade was directly in front of the two soldiers.An-other officer, riding with the skillful abandon of a cowboy, galloped his horse to a position directly before the general.The two unnoticed foot sol-diers made a little show of going on, but they lingered near in the desire to overhear the con-versation.Perhaps, they thought, some great inner historical things would be said.

The general, whom the boys knew as the com-mander of their division, looked at the other officer and spoke coolly, as if he were criticising his clothes."Th' enemy's formin' over there for another charge," he said."It'll be directed against Whiterside, an' I fear they'll break through there unless we work like thunder t' stop them."The other swore at his restive horse, and then cleared his throat.He made a gesture toward his cap."It'll be hell t' pay stoppin' them," he said shortly.