"Now's your time, lads! Give it to 'em hot an' strong, but make every charge count!"
Then our ship's guns were discharged, and the faintness left me as I saw the missiles cut down long lanes in the red-coated ranks; the smell of burning powder must have got into my brain, for from that moment I knew nothing save that my musket was to be loaded and discharged as rapidly as possible.
Men fell around me by the score, yet I gave no heed to the evidences of suffering. Once, a man shot through the head, pitched forward directly into my arms, covering me with blood as he sank dead at my feet, and yet, unused though I was to such scenes, it caused me no other feeling than that of anger because he had spoiled my aim.
I knew nothing of what was going on immediately in front of me, save that the red line, now broken by many a gap, was before my eyes; that it advanced, fell back and advanced again, sending among us such a shower of bullets that the buzzing in the air was like unto a swarm of angry bees.
Once Jerry tried to say something to me, but I pushed him back petulantly, so strong a hold had the fever of battle upon me. My musket barrel grew hot to the touch, and it was no longer possible to charge it properly. Without compunctions I exchanged weapons with one of the dead men at my feet, and continued the work, shouting aloud in vengeful joy when I saw an enemy fall by my hand.
Darius cried out in my ear; but I heard him not, nor did I heed the fact that he wanted to speak with me. I was insane with the scene of carnage, the salty odor of blood, and the choking, stifling fumes of burning powder.
Then, suddenly, Darius pulled me back by the coat-collar, forcing me to run with him, and as we went swiftly past our guns toward the rear, I asked what he was doing.
"The word had been given to retreat!" he cried. "Do the best you can with your legs, lad, for there'll be no quarter given if we are taken. We of the flotilla, with the marines, have borne the brunt of this whole battle for the last half hour, an' we've left our mark on the red-coats, even if we are turnin' tail now!"
"But the commodore?" I cried, now getting back a portion of my scattered senses.
"Wounded ten minutes ago, an' taken off the field, I hope. It was in my mind to help him; but he ordered me to go back to duty, an' I went, for when Joshua Barney gives the word, even though he's half dead, it's safest to obey without makin' much talk. Captain Miller of the marines was shot down at about the same time."