"We have sentries on all the lower
hills round here and Glencoe, and there is no fear of our being
surprised. The sooner they come the better, for we are all longing to
get at them; and I can tell you we felt quite jealous when we heard of
your spirited affair to-day. I can assure you that we shall have a
greater respect for the volunteers than we had before, and if all do as
well as you have done to-day they will be a most valuable addition to
our force."
After their visitor had left, they sat chatting round a fire till ten
o'clock, and then turned in.
CHAPTER V
THE FIRST BATTLE
All in the little camp, save the two sentries, slept soundly until, at
two in the morning, they awoke with a sudden start. A deep boom and a
strange rushing sound was in their ears. With exclamations of surprise
they all scrambled out of their tents.
"What is that?" Chris asked the sentry.
"It is a big gun on the top of that high hill they call Talana. We saw
the flash of light, and directly after heard the report, and a rushing
sound. I suppose it was a shot overhead; if it had been a shell we
should have heard it burst and seen the flash. It must have been fired
at the camp."
The horses, startled by the report, were plunging and kicking, and the
lads at once ran to their heads and patted and soothed them.
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