Whentheyreachedthebridge，theysawstrongcolumnsofGreekinfantry，deadblackinthedimlight，crossingthestreamandslowlydeployingontheothershore。Itwasabracingsighttothedragoman，whothenwentintooneofhisabsurdbabblingmoods，inwhichhewouldhavetalkedtheheadoffanymanwhowasnotborninacountrylavedbythechildishMediterranean。Colemancouldnotunderstandwhathesaidtothesoldiersastheypassed，butitwasevidentlyallgrandiosenonsense。
Twolightbatterieshadprecariouslycrossedthericketybridgeduringthenight，andnowthisforceofseveralthousandinfantry，withthetwobatteries，wasmovingoutovertheterritorywhichthecavalryhadreconnoiteredonthepreviousday。ThegroundbeingfamiliartoColeman，henolongerknewatremour，and，regardinghisdragoman，hesawthatthatinvaluableservitorwasalsoinbetterform。Theymarcheduntiltheyfoundoneofthelightbatteriesunlimberedandalignedonthelakeofgrassaboutamilefromwherepartsofthewhitehouseappearedabovethetree-tops。Herethedragomantalkedwiththecaptainofartillery，atinymanonanimmensehorse，whoforsomeunknownreasontoldhimthatthisforcewasgoingtoraidintoTurkeyandtrytoswingaroundtheopposingarmy\'srightflank。Heannounced，asheshowedhisteethinasmile，thatitwouldbevery，verydangerouswork。ThedragomanprecipitatedhimselfuponColeman。
\"Thisismuchdanger。ThecoptenhetellmethetrupsgonowinbackoftheTurks。Itwillbemuchdanger。IthinkmuchbetterwegoArtawaitforhorse。Muchbetter。\"Coleman，althoughbebelievedhedespisedthedragoman，couldnothelpbutbeinfluencedbyhisfears。Theywere，sotospeak，inaroomwithonewindow，andonlythedragomanlookedforthfromthewindow，soifhesaidthatwhathesawoutsidefrightenedhim，Colemanwasperforcefrightenedalsoinameasure。Butwhenthecorrespondentraisedhiseyeshesawthecaptainofthebatterylookingathim，histeethstillshowinginasmile，asifhisinformation，whethertrueorfalse，hadbeengiventoconvincetheforeignerthattheGreekswereaverysuperiorandbravepeople，notablyonelittleofficerofartillery。HehadapparentlyassumedthatColemanwouldbalkfromventuringwithsuchaforceuponanexcursiontotriflewiththerearofahardfightingOttomanarmy。Heexceedinglydislikedthatman，sittingupthereonhistallhorseandgrinninglikeacruellittleapewithasecret。Intruth，Colemanwastakenbackattheoutlook，buthecouldnomorerefrainfrominstantlyacceptingthishalf-concealedchallengethanhecouldhaverefrainedfromresentinganordinaryformofinsult。Hismindwasnotatpeace，butthesmallvanitiesareverylarge。Hewasperfectlyawarethathewas，beingmisledintothethingbyanoddpride，butanyhow，iteasilymightturnouttobeastrokeuponthedoorsofNikopolis。Henoddedandsmiledattheofficeringratefulacknowledgmentofhisservice。
Theinfantrywasmovingsteadilya-field。Blackblocksofmenweretrailingincolumnslowlyovertheplain。Theywerenotunlikethebacksofdominoesonagreenbaizetable；theyweresovivid，sostartling。Thecorrespondentandhisservantfollowedthem。Eventuallytheyovertooktwocompaniesincommandofacaptain，whoseemedimmenselygladtohavethestrangerswithhim。Astheymarched，thecaptainspokethroughthedragomanuponthevirtuesofhismen，announcingwithothernewsthefactthathisfirstsergeantwasthebravestmanintheworld。
Anumberofcolumnsweremovingacrosstheplainparalleltotheirlineofmarch，andthewholeforceseemedtohaveorderstohaltwhentheyreachedalongditchaboutfourhundredyardsfromwheretheshoreoftheplainarosetotheluxuriantgroveswiththecupolaofthebigwhitehousestickingabovethem。Thesoldierslayalongtheditch，andthebravestmanintheworldspreadhisblanketonthegroundforthecaptain，Colemanandhimself。DuringalongpauseColemantriedtoelucidatethequestionofwhytheGreeksoldiersworeheavyovercoats，eveninthebitterheatofmidday，buthecouldonlylearnthatthedews，whentheycame，wereverydestructivetothelungs，Further，heconvincedhimselfanewthattalkingthroughaninterpretertothemindsofothermenwasassatisfactoryaslookingatlandscapethroughastainedglasswindow。