The horses took advantage of the halt to begin cropping the tender growth around, and as Fred listened and watched the movements of the scouts far away on the hillside, it seemed hard to realise that he was in the midst of war, for high overhead a lark was singing sweetly, as it circled round and round, ever rising heavenward; and at his feet there was the regular tearing sound of the grass.
These recollections of home and peace came back as, with a look of boyish pleasure on his face, Samson pointed to the lovely little copper butterflies flitting here and there, their dotted wings glistening in the sun.
“Look at ’em, Master Fred,” he whispered; and then stood with his hand upon his horse’s withers, the stern man of war once more, as his master made a gesture bidding him hold his peace.
For quite half an hour they stood there by their horses’ sides, every minute being of value in the rest and refreshment it afforded the weary beasts.
The scouts could be seen following up, as it were, the movements of some force hidden by the hills from where the regiment had halted, and by degrees they began to work over the eminence and disappeared, while the general seemed to be fretting with impatience, till all at once those near him heard him utter a low “Hah!” and he gave the order to his men to prepare to mount.
A thrill ran through the long line of men, and Fred heard his follower utter a low, adjuration to his unwilling steed.
“Leave off eating, will you? Hold your head up. Who are you, that you are to go on feasting while your master starves?”
The horse looked at him reproachfully, and had to content itself with chewing a few strands of grass off his bit.
The reason for the general’s order was plain enough directly, for they could see one of the advance men coming back at full gallop down the distant hill, and long before he could reach them the other scouts appeared, retiring slowly in two lines, one sitting fast and facing the approaching force, while the other careered by them, and took up a fresh position in their rear.
There were only ten men out, at a distance of sixty or seventy yards apart, but as they drew nearer to their goal their lines contracted, and this was continued so that they could ride in as a compact little knot.