hillside, and by the
strong force of cavalry picketed round it, it is evident that he
has taken up his quarters there and, indeed, from the top of the
tower he can look down upon the town, and on all that is passing
there, and issue his directions to his troops accordingly; so we
must give up that idea. Another time, we may be more fortunate.

"But see, a great number of troops are ascending the hill towards
us, doubtless to cut timber for their works. As soon as they are at
work, we will attack them."

The party retired into the forest and, as soon as they heard the
sound of the Roman axes, they crept quietly forward; moving
noiselessly, with their sandaled feet, among the trees. When within
a short distance of the Romans, John ordered them to halt; and
crept forward, with Jonas, to reconnoiter There was little fear of
their being heard, for several hundred men were at work, felling
trees; a line of sentries, at ten paces apart, standing under arms
to prevent a surprise. The Romans were working too thickly to
permit of any successful action, by so small a party; and John saw
that the idea of an attack must be abandoned, and that he must
confine himself, for the present, to harassing the sentries.

Rejoining his men, he told them what he had discovered; and bade
them scatter along the line and, crawling up under the protection
of the trees, to approach as near as they could to the line of
sentries; and then to shoot at them--or at the workmen, many of
whom, having thrown off their heavy armor to enable them the better
to work, offered more favorable marks for the arrows than the
sentries--whose faces, only, were exposed.

They were on no account to come to close quarters with the Romans.
If the latter advanced, they were instantly to retire, approaching
again as soon as the Romans recommenced their work; and so to
continue, until he blew the signal for them to draw off,
altogether. They were not to begin until they heard his signal for
attack.

After allowing some little time to elapse for the men to get into
position, John blew his horn. A moment, and cries and shouts were
heard along the whole Roman line. The sound of chopping instantly
ceased, and the Roman trumpets blew to arms.

John had advanced sufficiently near to see the Roman workmen before he
gave the signal. Jonas was a little in advance of him and, as the horn
sounded, he saw him step out from behind a tree, whirl his sling round
his head and disch