The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-09-25

didn't think we would"
why" chirped the tall soldier, "this
wars most over. There must have been
ten thousand men in front of US, an we
killed most of 'em!"
Burke glared at him in speeches. scorn.
"Is there goin' to be more2" demanded
the boy.
"Ain't really got warmed up yet" Burke
told him.
Turning where he squatted, Burke looked
back over the country they had crossed, and
as far as ne could see in each direction.
He had the rare gift of being able to esti-
mate large bodies of men, and what he saw
did not reassure him.
Something's slipped" he growled anx-
iously, there amt enough of us in sight"
Along the edges of the cleaning white
turnpike the two forces caught their
breath and commenced biting savagely at
each other with their rifles. Burke, lying
and have both arms free for rapid loading,
glanced at the boy.
y "Still scairt2" he queried cheerfuily.
The lad turned to him a face fairly
stiffened with fright
eff you was as scairt as I am,7 he said
through his chattering teeth, you'd runI'
The fire grew hotter. Back from the
road on the other side rose a table-land,
topped by two big farm-houses and cluster
of outbuildings. Beyond them rose the
thick screen of timber. Back of the farm
houses a battery was busy, and from all
about them came little jets of fame, while
gray mist foated in the air A lieutenant,
kneeling behind bush where Burke and
his companions lay, caught at an order
which echoed to him down the long line.
elk bayonets!" he yelled.
Burke looked at him with an expression
of horror. "Do you mean to say"
he commenced, then checked himself and
put his bayonet in place with savage jerk.
The brown lines staggered to their feet and
swept out into the open, Burke chattering
to himself as he ran
"Goin' up hill, J" he sputtered, "an' not
gun coverin' us!''
Tardily but with gathering effect, two
regular batteries came into action behind
the rushing wave of brown, and their shells
wrought chaos about the group of farm
buildings Burke grunted satisfaction.
"That's something like" he exclaimed.
"Weu make a mistake an lick somebody
yet if we amt carefull'
There was sharp cry behind him and
clatter of metal. He turned to see the boy
lying on the ground.
"Now that's happenedP' growled Burke
as he dropped his rifle and hurried back.
They've got me; knew they would"
moaned the boy.
Burke tore open the boys jacket, found
nothing, frowned and continued his search
cts my head, +" the lad cried querulously
Under the tangle of black hair, Burke
found shallow furroW where bullet had
ficked through the boys hat, just tearing
the flesh. He hastily tore bandage from
his shirt and bound it tightly about the
boys head; then stopped and looked at
him. A biting lecture on the severity of
wounds was on the tip of his tongue, but
look at the young face made him change
his mind.
"Now, sir, he said sharply, you're hit
hard hit. You've done your duty, now you
get back home to that girl. She'll cure we
up by the time me an Shorty here finish
this war-but there can't nobody else do
it. Don't stop at hospitals-go on homeP
He watched the slight figure crawl back
through the underbrush and drew a long
sigh of relief.
Now" he said, II can have both hands
for fghtin'W
Burke scrambled forward. The slash
ing fire of the batteries had sent the gray
clad troops scurrying back under cover of
the timber, and the brown masses were
swarming over the table-land. But there
were no supports, and the gray troops in the
forest swept the ground they had lost with
CALLING volleys Deprived of the heartening
thunder Of the batteries behind them, the
nervous lines fell back down the hill.
"Well," said Burke to the tall man,
"we've been up once; we can go again.
"Now they have done itp' he walled.
Sent them batteries around there without
any infantry to cover 'emw
Side by side, Burke and the tall soldier
went back up the slope. Again the scat
tering volleys swept them, and again the
foe melted into the trees
Give 'em the bayonet," Burke yelled
to the men about him, get clear through to
them guns"
But the brown lines had had enough of
the pummeling. A little knot of men
gathered about Burke and fought as he
fought, taking all the cover they could find,
and shooting cautiously. Burke accepted
the implied command.
Shoot at their legs" he ordered, "these
guns go high!'