Quick came the answering shot, and a little piece of his coat flew with it.

That was certainly a great sharpshooter across the valley! Dick gave him full credit for his skill.
Then he heard the rolling of drums and the mellow call of trumpets in front of the pass.

Taking care to keep well under cover he looked back.
The Union army was advancing in great force now, its front tipped with a long line of bayonets and the mouths of fifty cannon turned to the pass.
In front of them swarmed the skirmishers, eager, active fellows leaping from rock to rock and from tree to tree.
Dick foresaw that the second charge would not fail.

Its numbers were so great that it would at least enter the pass and hold the mouth of it.
Already a mighty cannonade was pouring a storm of death over the heads of the skirmishers toward the defenders, and the brigades came on steadily and splendidly to the continued rolling of the drums.
Dick rose up again, watching now for his enemy who, he knew, could not remain much longer behind the rock, as he would soon be within range of the Northern skirmishers advancing on that side.
He fancied that he could hear the massive tread of the thousands coming toward the pass, and the roll of the drums, distinct amid the roar of the cannon, told him that his comrades would soon be at hand, driving everything before them.

But his eyes were for that big rock on the other side of the valley.