went on without intermission. The lads found the
Polish peasants very intelligent, although it was difficult for them
to understand why each movement should be performed with mechanical
regularity. At first, too, the boys' ignorance of Polish caused them
great difficulty; but Stanislas wrote down for them the translation of
the words of command, and the movements were taught by the boys
themselves performing them, and insisting upon their motions being
accurately imitated. They worked from morning till night, and by the
end of the fourth day were satisfied that their men could serve the
guns in a workmanlike and regular way.

The Poles themselves were delighted when they found how swiftly and
smoothly the work could be done now that they had mastered it, and
looked forward with anxiety to try the results upon the Russians. They
had not long to wait. In a short time friends from the next garrison
town brought the news that considerable bodies of fresh troops had
arrived there, and that an attack was to be made on the following day
by two heavy columns. Messengers were sent off at once, and during the
night the insurgents were joined by three other bands, raising their
numbers to nearly 1500 men. Stanislas told the lads that he intended
to move before daybreak, so as to attack one of the columns as soon as
it entered the forest, and while the other was too far away to arrive
at the scene of action until all would be over.

"I propose," he said, "to fell some trees across the road, arranging
them so that the guns can fire between them, while the trunks will
afford the gunners some shelter. Half the men will be arranged among
the trees on either side, so that while the guns sweep the column we
shall attack it upon either flank. I will place a hundred of my best
men at the barricade to defend the guns should the column press
forward in spite of our efforts; but I believe that we shall have an
easy victory. Our recent partial successes have considerably added to
our stock of arms, and as this is the first time that we have brought
cannon into play, we may rely upon their effect being considerable."

The lads begged that they might go forward with the party charged with
felling the trees, in order that they might choose the spot, and
themselves see to the construction of the defence. Stanislas chose one
of his lieutenants who spoke Russian, and, giving him 200 men, ordered
him to carry out the instructions of the lads. They