"Who are you ?" The answer came.

Forty or fifty rifles cracked among the pines.
Harry saw little flashes of fire, and he heard bullets hiss so venomously that a chill ran along his spine.

There was a patter of lead on every side of the house, but most of the shots came from the front lawn.

It was well that the colonel, Harry and the judge, were sheltered by the big pillars, or two or three shots out of so many would have found a mark.
Harry's rage, which had cooled somewhat while he was waiting, returned.
He began to peer around the edge of the pillar, and seek a target, but the colonel whispered to him to hold his fire.
"Getting no reply, they'll creep a little closer presently and fire a second volley," he said.
Harry pressed closer to the pillar, kneeling low, as he had learned already that nine out of ten men fire too high in battle.

He heard once more the rustling among the pines, and he knew that Skelly's men were advancing.