"I wondered when they were going to begin." "I told them to let the column pass nearly to the head of the valley before they opened fire," the count said.

"Had they begun soon after the enemy entered the valley, they would have left all their baggage behind under a guard, and the infantry would have been free to attack the hills at once.

Now they are all crowded up in the valley--horse, foot, and baggage.

The wounded horses will become unmanageable, and there is sure to be confusion, though perhaps not panic.

See, they are answering our fire! They might as well save their powder, for they are only throwing away ammunition by firing away at the hillside." This indeed was the case; for Jack, although in the course of the morning he had frequently watched the hillside for signs of the other parties, had not made out the slightest movement, so completely were the men hidden behind rocks and bushes.
Strong bodies of infantry were thrown out by Tesse on both flanks, and these began to climb the hills, keeping up a heavy fire at their concealed foe, while the main column continued its way.
Not a shot was fired by the Spanish until the head of the column was within a hundred yards of the foot of the rise, and then from the whole face of the hill a heavy fire was opened.