The sergeant glanced behind him, and saw the rebel regiment formed ready to charge upon his own.  He was cut off from his friends, with the enemy on his front and rear.  Three of his men had fallen in the sharp encounter with the rebels, and most of them were wounded or bruised, and all of them out of breath.  To add to the peril of the situation, the squad they had been pursuing were rallying and being reenforced by their fugitive companions.

“Bad, Tom, bad,” said Hapgood, who was puffing and blowing like a porpoise, as he ominously shook his head.

“Follow me!” said Tom, confidently, as he led the way in a direction at right angles with the advance of the party.

Our regiment had reformed again, and soon gave that in front of them enough to do.  The rebels in their rear caused the sergeant’s squad no little annoyance; but they continued on their course, loading and firing as they retreated.

CHAPTER XXX.

MORE OF THE BATTLE.

While Tom and his little command were working their way back to the Union lines, followed up by the disorganized band of rebels, a series of most unearthly yells swept over the field, for they had emerged from the woods.  It was the rallying cry of the Confederate regiment which had formed in their rear.  They were charging upon the Massachusetts —­th; but they might as well have charged upon the Rock of Gibraltar, for presently Tom was delighted to see them retiring before the tremendous onslaught of his friends.

“Hurrah!” shouted he, forgetting the foe in his rear, and pressing forward to that on his front, at the same time changing his course so as to approach the right wing of the rebel regiment.

“Don’t be rash, Tom,” said the old soldier, who never permitted the sergeant to leave his side.

“Follow me, boys!” roared Tom, breathless with excitement, as he started off on the double quick towards the breaking lines of the enemy.

“Here we are!” replied the gallant fellows behind him, pushing forward with a zeal equal to that of their leader, from whom they derived their inspiration.  “Go in, sergeant, and we’ll stand by you.”

But the bold soldier boy had discretion as well as gallantry; and he saw that if he threw his little force upon the rebel line, the whole party would be instantly annihilated.  A covert of bushes fortunately lay on the right flank of the retreating regiment, and Tom ordered his men to conceal themselves behind it, until a favorable moment should arrive to take their places in the lines.

The men were glad enough to obtain a breathing spell; but, at such a tremendous moment as that, idleness would have been treason, for such a glorious opportunity to strike a heavy blow had not before occurred.

“Load up, and fire at will,” said Tom, as he charged his musket.  “Don’t throw your lead away either.”

“We are a dead shot here if we are any where,” added Hapgood, as he and the rest of the party hastily loaded their muskets.