Captain Andy Sabine's company consisted of over a dozen boys. All of them had muskets, and most of them knew how to use the firearms, for hunting was a great part of the life of the average Concord boy of those days. All were eager for the fray, as the saying goes. They had already "smelt powder," and old Silas Berks, proud of the junior military coterie he had advised and once or twice drilled, "calculated" they could do the work in hand as efficiently as the regular adult volunteers who were off on more important duty. "There's six men in charge of the cannon wagons and two carts," he told Andy and Phil, whom he had insisted should occupy a place of honor with him on the front seat of the vehicle. There had been over a dozen Britishers left in charge of the baggage, but most of them had gone away to find more and fresher horses to help get the gun carriages out of the ruts where they had almost broken down. Andy and Phil knew the situation they were expected to confront very well from the garrulous old Indian fighter's report, and made their plans accordingly. As they drove past the home of Jasper Bram, Andy noticed that it was all dark and the shutters drawn, and commented on the fact. "I reckon they've made themselves scarce until this scrimmage is over," said Silas. "It's as well, if they're wise. Take my word for it, if they have found out that the redcoats have been routed, they won't show their faces around here for some time to come. Now then, lads, we'll have to drop the wagon right here. There's only a footpath through the timber, and we want to be silent and cautious like. My, how this reminds me of the prime old Indian days! Many a lonely trail I've followed--" "There's a light," said Andy suddenly, as they surmounted the crest of the hill. "Yes," nodded old Silas, peering ahead, "they're your men. Same spot where I first saw them. Go slow now, Andy. Get your Musket Boys under orders, and make no mistake in dealing with those fellows." Andy's volunteers grouped about him as he imparted his instructions in low tones. They could see at a miry stretch of the cross-country road a lot of wagons, some horses and two men with shovels digging around the wheels of the half-overturned gun carriage. A lighted lantern swung from a nearby branch. About two hundred yards beyond them, where a brush-covered space ended at the edge of a forest, were four other men, a lantern carried by one of their number, while the others were selecting and sorting dead tree branches, as if gathering material to construct a temporary corduroy road. "Phil, we'll divide evenly on the men," advised Andy in a truly military tone of voice. "I'll attend to the fellows in the road, you see to it that the other redcoats near the timber don't get away." "We are to make them prisoners--if we can!" suggested Phil.