"Lieutenant Paine!" said General Lawrence. Hal approached and saluted. "My compliments to Colonel Adams and order him to move immediately with the Third and Fourth brigades. He will attack the village from the north an hour after daylight." Hal saluted again and hurried away. "Lieutenant Crawford!" Chester approached and saluted. "My compliments to Colonel Gregory and order him to attack from the front an hour after daylight. Inform him that Colonel Adams will attack from the north simultaneously." Chester saluted and followed Hal from the general's presence. In the heart of each lad was a great impatience, for each longed for the action to commence. Nevertheless, outwardly, both were perfectly cool; for they had learned long ago and by hard experience that in the heat of battle the things that stood them in best stead were strong arms and cool heads. CHAPTER VI CAPTURE OF THE VILLAGE While the First and Second Brigades under Colonel Gregory prepared for the early morning attack, the Third and Fourth, under command of Colonel Adams, marched immediately upon receiving the instructions that Hal carried. In the natural course of events Hal, his errand accomplished successfully, would have returned immediately to report to General Lawrence. In fact he had wheeled and was about to walk away when Colonel Adams stopped him. "Lieutenant," he said, "I shall move at once in accordance with instructions, but I would prefer that you remain here and that one of my men reported to General Lawrence in your stead." "Very well, sir," was Hal's reply, although he could not fathom the colonel's reasons. Colonel Adams explained: "I lost most of my officers in the crossing of the canal. I can use you to great advantage. By the way, I don't seem to recall your name." "Paine, sir." "Very good. Lieutenant, you will report at once to Captain Graham, of the --th marines." He saluted and walked away. He was somewhat surprised, for he did not know that a body of marines had crossed the river with the infantry so recently. "I'll bet a hat my friends Jenkins and Smith are around some place," he told himself as he strode rapidly ahead. He located the body of marines with little difficulty and reported at once to Captain Graham. As the lad had predicted to himself, Lieutenants Smith and Jenkins were there, and were almost the first to see him. "Well, I see you're on the job," exclaimed Smith, stepping forward as Hal left Captain Graham after reporting and delivering his message from Colonel Adams. "Right," returned Hal, "and glad to be here, particularly so as we are about to march." "That so?" said Jenkins. "Where to?" "Dun," replied Hal. "General Lawrence has determined to push his advantage." "Wow!" exclaimed Jenkins. "Hear that, Smith? Didn't I tell you that once we got started we would be kept on the jump?"