"
"I admit that it was most unexpected, Leonidas. You have matched my
victory with one of yours. It was indeed most skillful and I don't yet
see what led to it."
"Did I not warn you a little while ago that you couldn't frighten me?
I prepared a trap for you, and thus I rise from defeat to victory."
"At any rate we are about even on the evening's work, Leonidas, and we
have made more progress than for the whole six months preceding. It
seems likely now that we can finish our game soon."
A sudden crash of rifle fire toward the east and from a point not distant
told them no. They rose to their feet, but they put the chessmen away
very deliberately, while the young officers hastened to their posts.
The fire continued and spread about them in a half circle, accompanied
now and then by the deeper note of a light field gun. Sherburne made his
dispositions rapidly. All the men remained on foot, but a certain number
were told off to hold the horses in the center of the camp.
"We're attacked by a large force," said Sherburne, "Our scouts gave us
warning in time. Evidently they wish to drive us away from here because
this will be the ford in case the river falls in time."
"Then you look for a sharp fight?"
"Without question.
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