"Forward!" echoed Captain Henry.
And then the two long lines of cadets rushed forward over the snow-covered field until they were within thirty or forty feet of each other. Then came another shower of snowballs.
"Wow!" yelled one cadet. "Oh, my nose!"
"Cæsar's helmet! That hit me in the eye!" came from another.
"Say, don't try to knock out all my teeth!" added a third.
"Charge!" yelled the captain of Company A. "Charge! Get 'em on the run right now!"
"Stand firm!" came from the commander of Company B. "Now then, fire!"
The rush of Company A was met with an extra heavy volley of snowballs. The cadets staggered under the onslaught and then came to a halt.
"Now then, up and at 'em!" yelled Captain Bart. And yelling like wild Indians, his command charged on Company A. The snowballs flew thick and fast, and slowly but surely Company A was forced to give ground until it stood on the line from which it had started. But by that time Company B was out of ammunition and had to pause to manufacture more snowballs.
In the ranks of Company A were Ritter, Coulter and Paxton. Paxton had of late somewhat dropped the others, but Reff and Gus were as thick as ever. They were now standing side by side.