Dick had a sense of failure, but it lasted only a moment or two.

From both left and right came the fierce crash of battle, and he knew that, if they had been driven back before the road, their comrades were maintaining the combat elsewhere.
"It's merely a delay.

We pause to make a stronger attack," said Colonel Winchester, as if he were apologizing to himself.

"Are you all right, Dick ?" "Unhurt, sir, and so are Warner and Pennington, who are lying here beside me." "Unhurt, but uneasy," said Warner.

"I don't like the way twigs and leaves are raining down on me.