"That a double force be put on the posts, half to watch the rear. It will be my business to-night to see to that."
"Very well," replied General Schoepf. "I shall be very curious to see how the plan works, and whether your idea is the correct one or not."
"I will not warrant it, General," replied Fred, "but there will be no harm in trying."
Just before night Fred made a second round of the picket posts, and made careful inquiry whether any one of the posts had been visited during the day by any one from the outside.
All of the posts answered in the negative save one. The corporal of that post said: "Why, a country boy was here to sell us some vegetables and eggs."
"Ah!" replied Fred. "Was he a bright boy, and did he seem to notice things closely?"
"On the contrary," said the corporal, "he appeared to be remarkably dull and ignorant."
"Has the same boy been in the habit of selling vegetables to the pickets?" asked Fred.
Come to think about it, the corporal believed he had heard such a boy spoken of.
Then one of the men spoke up and said: