Lying so near the river, most of the hostile fire went over the heads of the Invincibles, but now and then a shell or a cluster of bullets struck among them, and Harry heard groans.
But he quickly forgot these sounds as he watched the clouds of smoke and the blaze of fire on the other side of Bull Run.
"They are not trying to force the passage of the bridge! Everything is for the best!" shouted Langdon.
"No, they dare not," shouted St.Clair in reply.

"No column could live on that bridge in face of our fire." It seemed strange to Harry that the Northern troops made no attempt to cross.

Why did all this tremendous fire go on so long, and yet not a foe set foot upon the bridge?
It seemed to him that it had endured for hours.

The sun was rising higher and higher and the day was growing hotter and hotter.

It lay with the North to make the first movement to cross Bull Run, and yet no attempt was made.
Colonel Talbot came repeatedly along the line of the Invincibles, and Harry saw that he was growing uneasy.