“Once more, boys!  Give it to ’em again,” cried Tom, as the order to advance was repeated.

His words were only representations of his actions; for, as he spoke, he rushed on a little in front of his comrades, who, however, pressed forward to keep up with him.  He did not exceed the orders of his superior, but he was one of the promptest to obey them.  On dashed the regiment, and again the rebel line recoiled, and soon broke in spite of the admirable efforts of their officers to keep them steady.

“Kearney!  Kearney!  Kearney is here!” shouted the weary heroes in various parts of the field.

“Down with them!” roared Tom, as the inspiring words rang in his ears.  “Down with them!  Kearney has come, and the day is ours!”

He had scarcely uttered the words, and sprung forward, before he was seen to drop upon the ground, several paces in front of the line, though the undaunted old Hapgood was close by his side.  The enemy had fled; the danger of being flanked was averted; and when Kearney’s men dashed on the field, the sad-hearted veteran, assisted by Fred Pemberton, bore the silent form of the gallant sergeant to the rear.

Kearney and Hancock rushed gallantly to the rescue of the exhausted troops, and Hooker’s division was ordered to the rear to act as a reserve.  The strife raged with unabated fury as those who had borne the brunt of the battle slowly fell back to give place to the fresh legions.

Poor Tom was tenderly carried by the wiry veteran and his friends to the surgeon’s quarters in the rear.  There were tears in the eyes of the old man as he laid the silent form of his protege upon the wet ground.  There he sat by his charge, sorrowful beyond expression, till tremendous shouts rent the air.  Tom opened his eyes.

“Glory and Victory!” shouted he, in husky tones, as he sprang to his feet.

CHAPTER XXXII.

HONORABLE MENTION.

The surgeon examined Tom’s wound, and found that he had been struck by a bullet over the left temple.  The flesh was torn off, and if the skull was not fractured, it had received a tremendous hard shock.  It was probably done at the instant when he turned to rally the men of Company K, and the ball glanced under the visor of his cap, close enough to scrape upon his skull, but far enough off to save his brains.  Half an inch closer, and the bullet would have wound up Tom’s earthly career.

The shock had stunned him, and he had dropped like a dead man, while the profusion of blood that came from the wound covered his face, and his friends could not tell whether he was killed or not.  He was a pitiable object as he lay on the ground by the surgeon’s quarters; but the veteran soon assured himself that his young charge was not dead.

Hapgood washed the gore from his face, and did what he could in his unscientific manner; and probably the cold water had a salutary effect upon the patient, for when Hancock and Kearney had completed their work, and the cry of victory rang over the bloody field, he was sufficiently revived to hear the inspiring tones of triumph.  Leaping to his feet, faint and sick as he was, he took up the cry, and shouted in unison with the victors upon the field.