"Why, no, I wasn't in the studio," and then Estelle realized why her eyes were so inflamed—it was from crying. She gave Alice a meaning glance, as though to enjoin silence, but she need have had no fears. Alice would not betray the secret.
The big gun had been mounted on a level piece of land, not far from the hill, and on this plain had been thrown up earthworks behind which the Union forces would take their stand in an effort to reduce the Confederate stronghold.
"They're going to fire!" cried Estelle as they came within sight of the gun, and saw, by the activities of the men about it, that a shot was about to be delivered.
Alice covered her ears with her hands, and Russ and Paul stood on their tiptoes and opened their mouths wide.
"What in the world are they doing that for?" asked Estelle.
"I can't hear a word you say!" called Alice, making her voice loud, to overcome her own hearing handicap.
"There she goes!" cried Russ.
The earth trembled as flames and smoke belched from the muzzle of the cannon, and the girls screamed.
Something black was seen for an instant in the air amid the swirl of smoke, and then another portion of the hill was seen to lift itself up into the air and dirt and stones were scattered about.
"A good shot!" observed Russ, letting himself down off his tiptoes. "That would make a dandy scene for the film."