Sid laughed and said, “My father has been in the army and he would call this 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.