and I presume each of
you has a Red Cross arm band to pin on when you are hit so that you will
be recognized as a non-combatant."

There was a general assent and Upton continued: "Our camp will be at the
point we start from. If the enemy can elude us and get back and capture
the camp they win. If we run them down and defeat them or defeat them
in a battle at the camp we win. Any man taken prisoner becomes a member
of the other side. Scouts sent out by either side will make full reports
not only of signs of the enemy but of the country and its conspicuous
characteristics and animals and birds which are seen. Pat, you can pick
your side. You get three besides Hal."

Pat's first choice was Sparrer, to the youngster's secret delight. He
then chose McNulty and Bernstein, and the two companies, Pat at the head
of one and Upton at the head of the other, started at the Scout pace for
the scene of action. Arrived there a camp was marked off and Pat and his
company at once started off to make the most of the ten minutes allotted
them. Meanwhile Upton laid out his plan of campaign. The camp had been
chosen with a view to defense. On two sides were dense thickets of
bushes from which it would be practically impossible to throw a
snowball. Moreover, to reach these thickets it would be necessary for
the enemy to cross a bare hilltop, which meant that surprise from that
quarter was virtually out of the question. On the third side was an
outcropping ledge of rock behind which the defenders could take shelter.
The fourth side was open, but could not be approached without the enemy
being in sight for some time. Moreover, in the flat open country beyond
there was no snow, hence the enemy attacking from that direction would
not be able to replenish their ammunition. Upton decided that two men
were ample for defense, and at once set all hands to work making a
supply of snowballs from the patches of snow still lingering in the
thickets. Promptly at the end of ten minutes Chick Parsons was sent out
as scout to try to pick up the enemy's trail at the point where they had
disappeared from view with instructions to signal what he should
discover. Norwood was sent in the opposite direction to look for signs
on the chance that the enemy had circled as soon as they were out of
sight. Patterson and Chambers were left to guard camp and Upton climbed
to the top of the little hill which flanked the camp and from which
point he could get signals from