“Press forward, keeping the guide on the center!” had been Commander Hughes’ simple instructions, and faithfully were they being carried out by the determined men. The mission loomed through the darkness scarce five hundred yards distant; the tongues of flame from its wall answered by cries of rage and defiance from the enemy’s position inspired the rescuing sailors to renewed exertions to reach the protecting compound. The Chinese who had opened fire upon the Americans during the passage across the ill-fated bridge had stolen away toward the shadowy flanks; between the advancing sailors and their objective there were now no answering shots. Then suddenly the battery which had been hurling shell at the stone wall of the mission turned its fierce attention upon the unprotected rescuers.
“Seek cover!” Commander Hughes ordered; and the men huddled together in groups, thankful for the homes of the dead, which furnished such perfect protection from the well-directed fire of grape and canister from the Chinese artillery, now giving its undivided attention to the approaching reënforcements.
Commander Hughes saw that a new danger confronted the success of his undertaking; those in the mission as yet could not know of the close proximity of their friends, and might they not in their vigorous defense turn the muzzles of their Colt guns against them? The thought was fearful to contemplate.
“Mr. Perry,” he ordered in a strained voice, “those guns,” pointing to the hill on the right from which long tongues of flame darted momentarily, “must be silenced. We dare not advance further under their murderous fire. Take a hundred men and flank them.”
Phil gasped at the suddenness of the order, thanking his captain in his heart for his confidence in his ability to do what seemed to the lad impossible.
“Langdon will show you the way,” Commander Hughes ordered quickly; “don’t expose your men to our own fire. I shall endeavor to get word to the mission. Mr. Monroe will remain with me.”
As silently as possible Phil selected those to go with him, among them being his old friend O’Neil, leading them on a run back toward the ditch which had been crossed scarcely a quarter of an hour before; then he gathered the men about him to explain the dangerous work for which they had been chosen.
“We shall get on the flank of the artillery, and when the order is given to advance we must gain a position from which we can charge directly upon the battery. The lives of all depend upon our success.”
The men in silence accepted the conditions, and in another minute Langdon was leading the small band along the deep ditch in the shadow of the bordering trees. After traversing a few hundred yards the pilot paused at a road crossing the one they were on.
“This is the road we took the other night,” Langdon whispered; “we shall follow it for a short distance and then we shall be on the flank and a little in rear of the Chinese position.”