nterbalanced by our advantages of surprise, and to the effect which
cannon brought against them for the first time may exercise on the
minds of the soldiers."

Presently along the straight road the black column of the enemy could
be seen. They were advancing in a heavy mass, some forty men abreast,
and were preceded at a distance of 300 yards by an advance guard of
200 men. When distant some 400 yards from them the midshipmen observed
the advance guard halt, and guessed that an obstacle of some sort or
other across the road had been made out. A mounted officer rode back
from the advance guard to the main body, and was there joined by
several other mounted men. After some conversation a movement was seen
in the column. A mounted officer rode back, and as he did so the
column divided, leaving a passage in the centre of the road.

There was a long pause, and then the lads could see the Russian guns
coming through the line. They halted and formed across the road
half-way between the main body and the advance guard, and,
unlimbering, prepared to open fire upon the unknown obstacle in their
front. The midshipmen had arranged with Stanislas that, as it would be
difficult for the parties on the flank of the Russian column to
distinguish between the sound of the enemy's guns and their own, a
white handkerchief should be hoisted on a long pole when they
themselves opened fire, and a chain of men were placed along back in
the wood to repeat the signal down to the spot where the Poles were
lying ready for attack.

The Russians opened fire over the heads of their advance guard, who
lay down in the road. The shot for the most part either struck the
slope or flew overhead, very few striking the upper part of the
battery face, which was alone exposed to their fire. For five minutes
the Russians continued to fire. Then, deceived by the absolute silence
which reigned, and supposing the obstacle was an accidental one, or
that the insurgents had retired, the guns were limbered up, the
advance guard again moved forward, and the main column marched on
close behind the guns.

The whole of the 200 men who had been placed behind the barricade were
armed with muskets, and each hidden behind the leafy screen rested his
piece on a branch, and prepared to pour his fire into the column as it
advanced. It was not until the advance guard was within fifty yards of
them that the lads, who had themselves trained the guns to sweep the
road, gave the