The mouth of the pass poured forth fire and missiles like a volcano,
but Dick heard Colonel Winchester still shouting to his men to come on,
and he charged with the rest. The fire became so hot that the vanguard
could not live in it without shelter, and the colonel, shouting to the
officers to dismount, ordered them all to take cover behind trees and
rocks.
Dick who had been carried a little ahead of the rest, sprang down,
still holding his horse, and made for a great rock which he saw on one
side just within the mouth of the pass. His frightened horse reared and
jerked so violently that he tore the bridle from the lad's hand and ran
away.
Dick stood for a moment, scarcely knowing what to do, and then, as a
half dozen bullets whistled by his head, urging him to do something, he
finished his dash for the rock, throwing himself down behind it just as a
half a dozen more bullets striking on the stone told him that he had done
the right thing in the very nick of time.
He carried with him a light rifle of a fine improved make, a number of
which had been captured at the Second Manassas, and which some of the
younger officers had been allowed to take.
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