"But Singleton's lieutenant,
I am fearful, will fare better than yourself for this day's service."
"I believe both of us will be spared the pain of receiving promotion
purchased by the death of a comrade and friend," observed Mason kindly.
"It was reported that Sitgreaves said he would live."
"From my soul I hope so," exclaimed Lawton. "For a beardless face, that
boy carries the stoutest heart I have ever met with. It surprises me,
however, that as we both fell at the same instant, the men behaved
so well."
"For the compliment, I might thank you," cried the lieutenant with a
laugh; "but modesty forbids. I did my best to stop them, but
without success."
"Stop them!" roared the captain. "Would you stop men in the middle of a
charge?"
"I thought they were going the wrong way," answered the subaltern.
"Ah! our fall drove them to the right about?"
"It was either your fall, or apprehensions of their own; until the major
rallied us, we were in admirable disorder."
"Dunwoodie! the major was on the crupper of the Dutchman."
"Ah! but he managed to get off the crupper of the Dutchman. He came in,
at half speed, with the other two troops, and riding between us and the
enemy, with that imperative way he has when roused, brought us in line
in the twinkling of an eye.
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