"The enemy's main body!" he thought. He waved
his arm in the direction of the camp, but his comrades did not
understand the action, as they stood peering down upon the lad from
among the trees higher up the slope.
Now flat on his face the boy ventured to peep over the roof ridge down
into the village street at no great distance below. Not an eye was
directed upwards, so far as he could see, the men laughing and
chattering gaily as they drank. Then the temptation seized him, and in
a moment he had lifted the flag from the old chimney in which the
staff was loosely set. "I'm in for it now!" he cried to himself, as he
slid like an avalanche down the roof, leapt to the ground, and made
off up the steep slope towards his comrades, the flag triumphantly in
his hand.
He had reached a spot half way up when suddenly wild shouts were heard
from below, and at the same instant a bullet whistled close past his
ear. A little turn in the path had discovered his head to the enemy.
"In for a penny, in for a pound," shouted the lieutenant, and the
Englishmen prepared to receive the French soldiers dashing up to the
attack. George stumbled on unhurt, but fell at his officer's feet,
utterly breathless. There he lay, unable to rise, while shots were
rapidly exchanged.
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