The scouts should be started two or three minutes ahead of the point, and should keep in the shadow on the side of the road. They will march at a quick pace, halting at cross-roads and suspicious places to listen, and will move on again when they hear the advanced guard approaching. They must be trained to use their ears as much, if not more than their eyes. If they discover the enemy, one of them will return to warn the advanced guard; the others will conceal themselves and watch. It must be impressed upon them that they are on no account to fire unless for the purpose of warning the column, and then only if there are no other means of doing so. It is useless to attempt to keep connection between the scouts and the point, as the distance between them will constantly vary. The point may consist of one section, and will march on one or both sides of the road, covering itself in front by a file at about 30 paces distance. The main guard will follow the point at a distance of from 50 to 100 paces, according to the light; it also should march on the sides of the road. If there is a main body it will follow the main guard at about double the distance which is kept between the latter and the point. Communication between the point and the main guard, and between the main guard and the main body, will be kept by means of connecting files, within clear view of each other. A company marching alone on a road should move in the same formation as when forming an advanced guard, but will also cover its rear with a few scouts. _Night Advances and Night Attacks._ The formations adopted in night advances and night attacks will vary with the ground, the nature of the operation, and the activity of the enemy; it is, therefore, necessary to train the company to move at night in all possible formations, both in double and single rank. The men should be constantly practised in forming company, platoon, and sections in single rank to either flank, when moving in file or single file. In a close country like England it is constantly necessary to move in fours or file, and it is essential that the company should be able to form up with rapidity and precision. When moving in line in double rank it is advisable that a distance of about five paces should be kept between ranks, otherwise if a front rank man stumbles his rear rank man will fall over him. When a company is acting alone, even in open country, it is best to keep it fairly well concentrated until the position of deployment is reached, and in a close country, where fences have to be passed at intervals, it is generally necessary to move in fours or file.