"
"But, your majesty," exclaimed Von der Tann dubiously, "where will
you be in the mean time?"
"We shall be with the major's squadron, and when you see us emerging
from the grove, you will know that we have taken Peter's guns and
that everything is over except the shouting."
"You are not going to accompany the charge!" cried the old prince.
"We are going to lead it," and the pseudo-king of Lutha wheeled his
mount as though to indicate that the time for talking was past.
With a signal to the major commanding the squadron of Royal Horse,
he moved eastward into the wood. Prince Ludwig hesitated a moment as
though to question further the wisdom of the move, but finally with
a shake of his head he trotted off in the direction of the fort.
Five minutes later the enemy were delighted to note that the fire
upon their concealed battery had suddenly ceased.
Then Peter saw a force of foot-soldiers deploy from the city and
advance slowly in line of skirmishers down the slope to meet his own
firing line.
Immediately he did what Barney had expected that he would--turned
the fire of his artillery toward the southwest, directly away from
the point from which the American and the crack squadron were
advancing.
So it came that the cavalrymen crept through the woods upon the rear
of the guns, unseen; the noise of their advance was drowned by the
detonation of the cannon.
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