228 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



two troopers on each side of the prisoner, dropping 

 them from their horses dead or mortally wounded, 

 and commenced firing promiscuously, as the fairest 

 shots were presented to me. This unexpected 

 attack from an unseen enemy produced the effect I 

 had counted upon ; they broke back in confusion, 

 and were almost simultaneously attacked by Fritz 

 and his party, who first fired a deadly volley 

 amongst them, and then charged, when all who 

 w^ere not hit scattered and bolted. Having released 

 the gipsy and mounted him upon one of the horses 

 we had captured, w^e were preparing for a retreat, 

 as our shots had evidently been heard by the 

 advanced videttes, and horsemen were seen gallop- 

 ing in our direction, when one of our scouts came 

 rushing up with the intelligence that the party we 

 had surprised was only the advance guard of a 

 large force who were advancing in our direction. 

 I immediately ordered the Chaoush and the rest of 

 the party to make the best of their way towards 

 our camp, under the guidance of the gipsy, whilst 

 Fritz and I, who were better mounted than the 

 rest, should remain behind to reconnoitre. 



