"Even at that," observed Corporal Hal grimly, "I guess you had it easier here than we did."
"You've been in some trouble, Corporal?"
"Yes, but now it's——"
Corporal Hal Overton never finished that sentence. At that instant all three became aware of a great clatter up the field.
A pair of horses attached to a light victoria came racing down the field, passing close to the head of the infantry camp.
There was no driver on the seat; the reins were trailing at the heels of the runaways.
Nor did it take more than a glance to show that both of the runaways were now frightened past all hope of stopping them by any simple expedient.
Less than a quarter of a mile down the field two regular and two militia field batteries were drawn up in a long line, squarely in front of the path of the flying horses.
Worse still, the horses belonging to the batteries had been detached and sent to the rear. There were some four hundred artillerymen in all near the guns, but not one of them mounted in this period of instruction.
The horses seemed bound to dash in among the closely aligned field guns, wrecking the victoria and probably killing the woman and girl who now stood up in the vehicle screaming with terror, but seemingly too frightened to jump.