“Let’s make a flank movement on the enemy,” said the president.

“What ith that?” asked Pip.

“Why, not so much to go at them as to go about them and take them unawares in the rear.”

This mode of attack, which did not necessitate the actual facing of the enemy, was very popular and took wonderfully with the club.  To Sid, in particular, it was a very agreeable mode.  He boldly headed this movement.  He intended to go off in a direction where no enemy would ever be met, but in his ignorance of the woods, he took a course that would have led the club back to the pond, and it was an agreeable thing for Charlie that he did, as that fugitive from the pirates soon was met.

“Hullo, there he is!” shouted Wort.

“Who?” asked Sid, trembling, and fearful that it might be Tim Taylor.

“Here I am, boys,” shouted Charlie.

“Ho, to the rescue!” cried Sid, now taking long leaps forward.  “Charlie, I rescue thee!”

“We are coming to fank de enemy,” said Juggie, anxious to have a hand in winning the laurels now coming so rapidly to the Knights of the White Shield.

“Going to surround the enemy,” exclaimed the warlike Sid, “and also rescue Charlie, but—­but—­we might as well go back now.  Did you have a hard time, Charlie?”

“I did have a time, I tell you,” and Charlie eagerly told the story of his adventures.

“How we will go back, boys,” said the president, “and go round home through the woods.”

“No, sir,” declared Billy, who had somewhat of his cousin’s resoluteness; “I’m going home the way we came, and if any body stops me, it is his lookout.”

The heroic sentiment was loudly applauded, and the club returning valiantly stormed the railroad fence and carried it—­a remarkable feat considering that there was nobody on it to oppose them.

Billy Grimes in his earnestness even brought down the top-rail with him.

“Stop, fellers!” warned Sid.  “The enemy!” Lifting their eyes to the top of the high railroad embankment, they saw Tim in the act of chastising Bob.  It was afterward ascertained that Tim was rewarding Bob for not helping him more efficiently at the time of the raft accident.  Tim completed the bestowal of this reward, and then noticing the club, he shook his fist at them.  He did not linger, but followed sullenly by Bob, passed down the other side of the embankment.  The club did not find out whether this was an intended retreat, or simply the taking of a convenient route to reach home.  They put their own construction on it, and the movement was judged to be “a shameful retreat by the enemy.”  Billy led off in a brave, determined charge up the embankment—­Sid shouting, “Hurrah!  Glory for us!  Those getting the battle-field are victors, you know!”

Nobody disputed this, and the valiant knights continued their triumphant advance to their very homes.