The head, then the center of the line, slipped into the ravine. At last the whole of C Company was fairly within the ravine.
Nor did Captain Freeman have the slightest idea of the many pairs of keen eyes that watched the progress of his command from the tops of the low walls of stone that bound the ravine.
Above stood Captain Cortland, well concealed in a bush, watching, revolver in hand.
Bang!
Captain Cortland fired his revolver into the ground—the signal shot.
Instantly a tempest of firing broke loose. Men stationed on either side, above the ravine, poured down their rifle fire—of blank ammunition, of course.
From the inner end of the ravine two squads of men fired from behind hastily erected entrenchments.
"Sound the retreat!" roared Freeman, above the din of the firing, in the ear of the bugler at his side.
But with the first notes of the bugle a din of reports and a belching of flame came from other B Company men, now stationed at the end of the ravine through which C Company had just entered.
The ambuscade was complete. Under any war conditions C Company was hopelessly engulfed, and ready for complete slaughter.