"Well, but didn't any of the men see you? Weren't you ahead some of the time leading them on and waving your sword?"
Caspar burst into laughter. "Why, no. I had all I could do to scramble along and try to keep up. And I didn't want to go up at all."
"Why?" demanded the Senator.
"Because—because the Spaniards were shooting so much. And you could see men falling, and the bullets rushed around you in—by the bushel. And then at last it seemed that if we once drove them away from the top of the hill there would be less danger. So we all went up."
The Senator chuckled over this description. "And you didn't flinch at all?"
"Well," rejoined Caspar humorously, "I won't say I wasn't frightened."
"No, of course not. But then you did not let anybody know it?"
"Of course not."
"You understand, naturally, that I am bothering you with all these questions because I desire to hear how my only son behaved in the crisis. I don't want to worry you with it. But if you went through the San Juan charge with credit I'll have you made a Major."
"Well," said Caspar, "I wouldn't say I went through that charge with credit. I went through it all good enough, but the enlisted men around went through in the same way."