Page:Dick Hamilton's Cadet Days.djvu/237

Rh forces, and attack the enemy before a bridge could be built across the stream, the holders of the hill would win the battle. On the other hand, if the attackers could succeed in getting a body of cadets across the stream before a heavy artillery or rifle fire could be poured into them, they would win. The promptness of firing, the number of shots and general quickness were to count.

At the appointed time, Major Hale and his force took possession of the hill, and Major Dutton led his army two miles back, on the plain in front of it.

Dutton issued his orders.

"We'll try to surprise them," he said to his young officers. "We'll swing around in a half circle, and instead of building the bridge at the easiest place to cross the stream we'll try it farther down. They won't suspect that we'll come there, and we'll gain some time.

"But they'll have their pickets out," observed Russell Glen. "They'll see us."

"I'll send some of you to another point to pretend to build a bridge," decided Button. "That'll draw their fire, and they'll start their artillery toward that place. Before they find out that it's only a bluff we'll have the real bridge half done."

As the cadets had a record of building a thirty-foot bridge of the "A" style inside of four minutes, it seemed that Button's plan might be a good one.

"How are you going to carry the planks and