The beat of horses' feet grew to thunder.
Colonel Newcomb with great presence of mind drew the two parallel lines of his men close together, and ordered them to lie down on either side of the railroad track and face outward with cocked rifles.

Dick, the Vermonter, and Sergeant Whitley lay close together, and the three faced the north.
"See the torches!" said Whitley.
Dick saw eight or ten torches wavering and flickering at a height of seven or eight feet above the ground, and he knew that they were carried by horsemen, but he could not see either men or horses beneath.

Then the rapid beat of hoofs ceased abruptly at a distance that Dick thought must be about two hundred yards.
"Lie flat!" cried Whitley.

"They're about to fire!".