"That is not a great distance for mounted men. Is the distance about three miles?" "It will not vary half a mile from it." "Have you your watch with you, Dexter?" asked the major. "I have, sir; I never leave it in the baggage-wagons," replied Deck. "What time is it now?" continued the major, as he consulted his own time-keeper. "Ten minutes past seven," answered Deck, after he had held his watch up so that he could see the face by the light of the fire in the square. "About right. How long will it take you to reach the spot on the hill where the second company is posted?" "Ten minutes." The major had taken a piece of paper from his pocket, and by this time had written something on it to which he had signed his name. "Is there any open place at the end of the hill where the captain is, to the right of the grove?" "I don't know; I did not look about me much," replied Deck. "The west end of the hill is a bare rock," interposed Colonel Coffee. "On this paper I have written, 'Obey the verbal orders sent by Dexter Lyon.' That is all, except the captain's name and mine. Tell Captain Truman to prepare a fire, a large fire, on the rock at the west end of the hill, ready to light. Can the enemy see what he is doing, Colonel?" "Not at all; the fire in the square sends no light beyond the grove." "In precisely thirty minutes from the time you reach the top of the hill, Dexter, tell him to march upon the enemy, leaving a man to light the fire ten minutes later. Let him attack them vigorously," said the commander. "Do you understand it all, Dexter?" "Understood." "Then hasten to the hill." The major had taken the colonel and his son one side for this conference, so that no other person should know anything about it. Deck ran his horse; and this time the sentinel did not stop him, for his character was known. As a last word, his father had directed him to remain with the captain. Before the messenger reached the hill, the company was moving along the road to the west, with the magnate as a guide. By his advice the company marched slowly for the first half-mile, in order to avoid making any noise which the enemy could hear. Then they galloped at the best speed of the horses. At the end of twenty minutes they were near the knoll on which the guerillas were concealed. The major ordered the captain to halt here, and they waited for further events. They had not long to wait, for the fire on the rock flashed up with a brilliant light; and it was evident that Mr. Hasbrook had assisted in preparing the fuel, and that no little pitch and light wood had been used. Captain Truman, as the illumination indicated, was in the road, and marching to the south; while the first company had halted, facing to the north. "Mr. Hasbrook must have robbed his woodshed of most of its contents," said the captain, who had taken Deck under his wing.