Bang! It was the leader himself who fired. The bullet clipped off a leaf within an inch of Sergeant Overton's ear.
Crack! The boyish young sergeant was all there with the grit. He fired straight back at the leader, the bullet striking the rock before the other's face.
Now two more shots clipped close to the young soldier. Hal answered with one.
But he tried to steady himself. He realized that he had but three fighting shots left, and that he must make them count.
"But maybe three are enough to last me as long as I'm going to live, anyway," reflected Sergeant Overton grimly.
There was not much comfort in that thought, but Hal drew himself around more behind the tree trunk in order to shield himself as much as possible, although the tree trunk would be no real protection from bullets.
The Army bullet, at an ordinary range, will pierce three solid feet of standing oak.