"Tell General Washington that I shall hold my position here. Unless he has men who are not needed elsewhere, there is no necessity for him to pay any attention to what is going on at this point. I fancy we're a match for the Grenadiers!"
The young aid was so hemmed in by officers and men that for some moments he could not retrace his steps, and as if fascinated he watched that terrific struggle, which just at this time was more fierce than ever before.
While he was gazing at the apparently resistless tide of red-coated men who were pressing forward, he heard General Wayne say in a low, quick tone:
"Reserve your fire, men, until you can pick out their officers! Make every bullet count!"
These words caused Enoch to observe more particularly than he had previously done the leaders of the brave force who were advancing in the face of almost certain death, and to his surprise he recognized that officer who had subjected his comrades and himself to such searching inquiry when they were suspected of having aided Seth in escaping from prison.
It was Colonel Monckton, and at the moment when Enoch understood this fact the officer waved his sword above his head, shouting:
"To the charge, my brave troops! To the charge!"
On came the line of red.
Nearer and nearer, and neither shout nor report of musket from the Continentals.
It seemed to Enoch as if the enemy was hardly thirty yards away when he heard General Wayne cry sharply: