“I 'll not leave my poor wounded comrades.”
“There 's not a living man amongst them,” cried the hussar. “Come along with us, Herr Lieutenant; we may want your help too.”
The firing ceased at this moment; and to the wild shouts and din of conflict there succeeded a dead silence.
“Keep quiet—keep quiet—stand close beneath the rock,” whispered Frank; “here comes the boat.” And, with slow and measured stroke, the skiff neared the shore, about twenty paces from where they stood.
“Pull in boldly,” cried a gruff voice, in Italian; “there's nothing to fear now: neither man nor horse could survive that fire.”
“Would that the great struggle could be accomplished so easily!” said a softer tone, which Frank almost fancied he had heard before.
Lanterns were now seen moving in the space between the barricades; and crowds pressed down to examine and pillage the dead.
“Have you found the officer's body?” asked he of the soft voice.
“I suspect the party was under a sergeant's command,” said another.
“No, no,” rejoined the other; “Giuseppe was positive that he saw an officer.”