“Right,” returned Hal, “and glad to be here, particularly so as we are about to march.”
“That so?” said Jenkins. “Where to?”
“Dun,” replied Hal. “General Lawrence has determined to push his advantage.”
“Wow!” exclaimed Jenkins. “Hear that, Smith? Didn’t I tell you that once we got started we would be kept on the jump?”
“I’m glad to hear it,” said Lieutenant Smith, who appeared to be considerably more quiet and dignified than his companion. “When do we start, or do you know?”
“Immediately,” said Hal, “and if I am not mistaken, there is the signal now.”
A bugle sounded attention. The men sprang to their places and the ranks closed in the darkness. A moment later came the command to march.
A few moments later Hal found himself in command of a detachment at the extreme right of the advancing column, where Captain Graham had assigned him. Because of the unfortunate lack of higher officers, Hal would command this detachment during the impending engagement. A short distance to Hal’s left Lieutenant Jenkins strode with his men. Lieutenant Smith had been called to the detachment that made up the left wing.
Silently the American columns moved through the darkness. The order had been passed along the line that there must be no talking. It would be well to advance as close to the village as possible without being discovered by the enemy.
From the distance the German artillery still hurled shells toward the American lines at infrequent intervals, but there was nothing now in the nature of a consistent cannonading.