Upon one occasion, when, just as it was dusk, they had gone in among the trees, having seen a Russian column moving along the road, they were astonished at being suddenly seized, gagged, and carried off through the wood.

So suddenly had this been done, that they had time neither to cry nor struggle.
After being carried some distance, they were thrown down on the ground, and the men who had carried them hurried away.

Just as they did so there was a sudden outburst of musketry, mingled with loud yells and shouts; then, after a moment's pause, came the rattle of a rolling musketry fire.

The first, Jack judged to be the fire of insurgents upon the column; the second, that of the troops.

For a while the din of battle went on.