"Give it t' me!" "No, let me keep it!" Each felt satisfied with the other's possession of it, but each felt bound to declare, by an offer to carry the emblem, his willingness to further risk himself.

The youth roughly pushed his friend away.
The regiment fell back to the stolid trees.

There it halted for a moment to blaze at some dark forms that had begun to steal upon its track.

Presently it resumed its march again, curving among the tree trunks.

By the time the depleted regiment had again reached the first open space they were receiving a fast and merciless fire.