y seem to stand against success.

There was a hasty making of half a dozen balls apiece, all they could
conveniently carry, and when Fred had managed to supply himself with that
many rounds, he gave Brad the order to advance.

With new shouts that were intended to strike alarm to the hearts of the
Mechanicsburg boys, the two detachments now pushed along, making
something of a swinging movement, with the idea of turning the flanks of
the enemy.

Of course the other fellows understood just what was up, and could also
divide their force, so as to meet the conditions; but when they found
themselves between two fires, with hard snowballs striking them in the
back, their valor began to give way to uneasiness, that was apt soon to
merge into a regular panic.

That was what Fred called strategy. It was of a different kind from that
of the great Napoleon, who used to plan to divide his enemy's army, and
then strike quickly at first one-half, and then the other, before they
could unite again.

In this case the main idea Fred had in mind was to be able to pour in
showers of missiles from two opposite quarters. In this way, while his
own men would be scattered, and could dodge any shot that seemed likely
to cause trouble, the enemy remained bunched, and presented a splendid
target.

The thing that was likely to tell most of all was the fact that even
though a snowball happened to miss the boy at whom it had been aimed,
there was always a good chance of its finding a mark in the back of
another fellow, who, being struck so unexpectedly, must cringe, and feel
like running away.

Loud rang out the cries of the rival fighters, and all the while the
attacking force kept working closer and closer to the group of almost
exhausted fellows from up-river way.

"Soak it to 'em!" pealed Bristles, who was surely in his element, as he
dearly loved action of any sort; "three hits for every one we've taken,
and then some. Put your muscle into every throw, fellows! Rap 'em hard.
They started it, and we'll do the winding up, and make the peace terms.
It's a surrender, or run away. Now, all together again!"

By this time the Mechanicsburg boys had had quite enough. Every one of
them was nursing some wound. One had indeed even started off through the
woods, holding a hand to his eye, as though he had failed to dodge a
throw quickly enough; several others were hugging the tree-trunks
closely, and showing that they had had about all t