is the flying artillery. So you see it is all right."

"I'm afraid it's all wrong," said Billy, "to leave Charlie behind."

"Yes," said Wort, "to run away from a member of the club."

There was now a general feeling of indignation toward any member of the
club that had deserted Charlie, if that member could be found, as each
one's motive had not been to desert another, but the prudent impulse to
save himself.

Sid was among the fiercest to shout and the most furious to propose.
"Charlie deserted!" he said. "Who's deserted Charlie? That wont do! Back,
fellers, to the rescue!"

A brave, sympathetic shout arose. A few minutes ago Sid would have been
afraid of it as something that might attract the enemy's attention, but he
calculated that they must now be at a safe distance from the down-townies.

"Let's make a flank movement on the enemy," said the president.

"What ith that?" asked Pip.

"Why, not so much to go _at_ them as to go about them and take them
unawares in the rear."

This mode of attack, which did not necessitate the actual facing of the
enemy, was very popular and took wonderfully with the club. To Sid, in
particular, it was a very agreeable mode. He boldly headed this movement.
He intended to go off in a direction where no enemy would ever be met, but
in his ignorance of the woods, he took a course that would have led the
club back to the pond, and it was an agreeable thing for Charlie that he
did, as that fugitive from the pirates soon was met.

"Hullo, there he is!" shouted Wort.

"Who?" asked Sid, trembling, and fearful that it might be Tim Taylor.

"Here I am, boys," shouted Charlie.

"Ho, to the rescue!" cried Sid, now taking long leaps forward. "Charlie, I
rescue thee!"

"We are coming to fank de enemy," said Juggie, anxious to have a hand in
winning the laurels now coming so rapidly to the Knights of the White
Shield.

"Going to surround the enemy," exclaimed the warlike Sid, "and also rescue
Charlie, but--but--we might as well go back now. Did you have a hard time,
Charlie?"

"I did have a time, I tell you," and Charlie eagerly told the story of his
adventures.

"How we will go back, boys," said the president, "and go round home
through the woods."

"No, sir," declared Billy, who had somewhat of his cousin's resoluteness;
"I'm going home the way we came, and if any body stops me, it is his
lookout."

The heroic sentiment was loudly applauded, and the club returning
valiantly