About three in the afternoon
They were encamped in a stretch of grassy loam in the midst of what appeared to be a dense forest , and all about were evidences of the great fertility of the soil . The vegetation was so dense that one could scarcely see through it , and the glade was cool and pleasant , though overhead the sun was shining as warm as ever . It was a lovely oasis in a wilderness of undergrowth , and the men enjoyed it to the utmost . About three in the afternoon the sound of firing was heard in the distance . First there was one shot , then another , and several more at rapid intervals . Archie was one of the first to jump to his feet , but in a second every man was at attention , with his musket in his hands . The colonel listened closely for two minutes , and then the firing began once more , and this time it seemed nearer .