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On the other side of the road, so from bad to worse What had started as interrown louder and more consistent, and there was a bass-​line undercurrent to it that pro i with slow, horrible footsteps, pacing along the lines on the other side She spotted it here and there, for a moment--then no more

She forced herself to concentrate on the matters at hand

One problem at a time She could fix only one problem at a time

Prioritize

"Dennis, you listen to me Get on that horse with Mickey, and hold hiet him to some safety You can ride a horse, can’t you?"

"But--"

"No but" She jaer up to his nose, then turned to Clinton "Clinton, you’re an able-​bodied man and you can walk or run the rest of the way, saht?"

"Yes ma’am It’s just the hand, what’s all tore up"

"Good You, me, Clinton, andwhere’s Mr Copilot--?"

"His naone," Robert interjected

"Fine Forget about hionna run off like that Has anyone seen the captain?"

"I think he fell out when the cart broke," Ernie said

"Right Then We’reLarsen, the captain, and the copilot The Hendersons are on Bessie" She waved at Mrs Henderson, as tangling her hands in the horse’sher husband in front of her She could barely reach around hi Bessie, and Dennis will be riding the other horse, with Mickey Is that everyone?" She began her litany again, pointing at each one in turn "That leaves me, Ernie, Robert, Mr Rand, and Clinton to find our oay to the rails, but we can do that, can’t we, gentlemen?"

"Larsen!" Dennis called once more

This time she smacked him, hard across the face He held his breath

She said, "If you open your mouth once more, I’ll slap it clear into next Tuesday Now hush yourself I’o find Larsen"

"You are?"

"I a west, so helpto get us shot Clinton, kindly help this fellow get on that horse and then the rest of us can get , too"

Clinton nodded at her like aorders, then hesitated briefly, because he was not accusto orders from a woman Then he realized that he didn’t have any better ideas, so he took Dennis by the arm, led him to the horse, and helped him aboard The student did not look particularly confident in the absence of a saddle, but he’d make do

"Don’t you let him fall!" Mercy commanded

Clinton slapped both horses on the rear, and the beasts took off al the scene The re party had no tiy No sooner had the horses disappeared between the trees, headed generally west, than the southern side of the fighting line met them at the road

The soldiers rushed up with battle cries, leading carts with cannon, and crawling unssteam from their joints as they loped forward; and the cannon were no sooner stopped than braced, and pumped, and fired