Colonel von Alten gave a scrutinizing look around, then he rode back to his battalion, which was about a hundred paces off.
"Right about turn!" he cried.
The battalion replied, like the first, with an echoing "Hurrah!" A few moments afterwards his sharpshooters were drawn up along the bank of the Unstrut, and the advancing enemy found itself opposed by a steady fire.
Although the grenadiers fell, the lines filled up silently and regularly, and not an inch of ground was yielded. Colonel von Landesberg placed himself in the front ranks, cool and calm as if on parade.
The battalions of the enemy which had advanced to the river halted. An uneasy movement appeared amongst them. An aide-de-camp galloped up.
"Colonel," he cried, "the general expects you in the prescribed position!"
"Tell him I am engaged by the enemy!" replied von Landesberg curtly.
The aide-de-camp glanced at what was going on, saluted, turned his horse, and galloped back without a word.
The enemy's fire grew weaker. After a short time, bugle calls were heard on the opposite bank, and the enemy was withdrawn out of reach of fire. Colonel von Landesberg put up his sword. "So," said he, "the first thing is done; do you think the river is fordable?"
"Certainly!" replied the adjutant, riding down close to it; "I can see the bottom almost everywhere."