"Nor me," echoed Si, rather ashamed that he had suggested it.
"Steady, there; steady, on the right! Come for ward with that left company," called out a stern voice in front.
"Must be a full regiment in there," whispered Si, craning his neck still farther. The tramping and crashing increased.
"Steady, men, I tell you! Steady! Press on the center," commanded the unseen Colonel. "Forward! Forward!"
In spite of his perturbation, Si noticed that the sounds did not seem to be coming any nearer.
"We must get a squint at 'em," he said, desperately, to Shorty. "Let's git down an' crawl forward. There must be an openin' somewhere."
They got down on their hands and knees, so as to avoid as many as possible of the thickly-interlaced branches. Soon they came to a rift which led to an opening of some rods in circumference. Raising their heads cautiously above a moss-covered log, they saw in the opening a stalwart Sergeant with five or six men. The Sergeant was standing there with his eyes fixed on the tops of the trees, apparently thinking of the next series of commands he was to give, while the men were busy breaking limbs off the cedars.
Si and Shorty immediately grasped the situation.
"Forward, Co. Q!" yelled Si at the top of his lungs. "Surrender, you consarned rebels, or we'll blow your heads off," he added, as he and Shorty jumped forward into the opening and leveled their guns on the squad.
"What'n thunder was you fellers makin' all that racket fur," Si asked the Sergeant as he was marching him back to the skirmish-line.