be no more disobedience, or the whole thing will be
spoiled."

Tommy looked properly abashed, and Hal went on. "I mean to hose Dodds
out of the fort."

"Hose him out!" Drusie and Jim echoed in astonishment. "What do you
mean, Hal?"

"For goodness' sake, take care," Hal remonstrated. "If you shout like
that he'll hear, and the whole thing will be spoiled."

Then Hal proceeded to explain in rapid undertones what he meant.

"I am going to bring up the water-barrel, pump it full from the stream,
fit the biggest hose to it, and let fly into the fort."

His four soldiers held their breath for a moment, and gazed at their
captain with dumb admiration.

"It's a gorgeous plan," said Helen at last.

"I think it ought to answer," Hal said. "I have been thinking it out
for some time. I shall go for it, but I will tell you what you have to
do while I am away."

For the next quarter of an hour silence reigned in the camp--a silence
so unbroken that the enemy who lay waiting in the fort became more
watchful with every passing moment. He distrusted such a complete
cessation of hostilities. It could only mean that an attack of unusual
fierceness was being planned; and so, that it might not find him
unprepared, he cast an eye round the fort to see if he could strengthen
it in any way.

But it was already as strong as it could be made; and when he was
satisfied on that point, he took stock of his ammunition, and made a
fresh noose for the lasso which Hal had cut. Just as he had finished a
beautiful slip knot, his ear was caught by a low whistle. Ducking to
avoid the shot for which it might be the signal, he listened again. No
shot followed; the whistle was twice repeated.

Standing upright again, the boy glanced hastily round. He fancied that
the whistle came from the direction of the stream. He was still
wondering what it meant, when another whistle, another, and yet
another, and all from different directions, echoed round the fort.
Each, like the first, was repeated twice, but yet nothing happened.

He strained his eyes this way and that, and then suddenly fitted a
couple of bullets into his catapult, and fired into some bushes on the
left. A sharp but quickly-suppressed squeal of pain was the result.
Again and again he fired, but only to be met by a heroic silence.
Either his shots missed or his victim refused to cry out.

Suddenly Hal's voice rang out.

"One!" he shouted.

There was a pause.

"Good,