Little did the exultant C Company men dream that this solitary sentry was the only man on guard duty for B Company. The fact was that this sentry had been posted with explicit instructions to allow himself to be captured without making any outcry or firing his rifle. Three minutes later the ground about the captured sentry appeared to be covered with dimly defined figures of advancing men--soldiers in full field equipment. It was C Company, advancing by column of twos, with Captain Freeman and Lieutenant Ray at the head, and Lieutenant Greg Holmes, alertly watchful of the line, at the rear. Into the ravine C Company advanced, moving with barely a sound. It was Freeman's intention to reform his men once they were through the ravine and advance, yelling and firing, upon a surprised camp. The head, then the center of the line, slipped into the ravine. At last the whole of C Company was fairly within the ravine. Nor did Captain Freeman have the slightest idea of the many pairs of keen eyes that watched the progress of his command from the tops of the low walls of stone that bound the ravine. Above stood Captain Cortland, well concealed in a bush, watching, revolver in hand. Bang! Captain Cortland fired his revolver into the ground--the signal shot. Instantly a tempest of firing broke loose. Men stationed on either side, above the ravine, poured down their rifle fire--of blank ammunition, of course. From the inner end of the ravine two squads of men fired from behind hastily erected entrenchments. "Sound the retreat!" roared Freeman, above the din of the firing, in the ear of the bugler at his side. But with the first notes of the bugle a din of reports and a belching of flame came from other B Company men, now stationed at the end of the ravine through which C Company had just entered. The ambuscade was complete. Under any war conditions C Company was hopelessly engulfed, and ready for complete slaughter. Suddenly the bugler up aloft, stationed by Captain Cortland's side, blew as though he would blow his lungs out, the signal for "cease firing." Then the din of musketry died down. "Captain Freeman," called Cortland, "I call upon you to surrender your command. You must realize that, under war conditions, you have already lost nearly every man of your force." "I surrender my command," replied Captain Freeman promptly. "As you say, Cortland, you have us wholly at your mercy." At the word, passed by their non-commissioned officers, the wearied men of C Company squatted on the ground. "I take it I may go through the ravine to your camp, Cortland," called Captain Freeman, "now that we are harmless prisoners of war." "Yes; you had better march your company through into the open and we'll join you." "Thank heaven the cruel war is over," muttered a soldier in C Company, and a hearty laugh from victors and vanquished answered this sally. Ten minutes later the recent mimic combatants were all together on the same ground.