“It might cheek them, if we could do it; but if you look through the glass you will see that they keep sending a couple of men up all the high places, who keep watch, and they’d signal to their companions that we were in ambush.”
“I was afraid so, sir,” said Gedge grimly; “that’s always the way with my plans. There’s always a hole in the bottom o’ the tub I make ’em in, and they run out like sand.”
“How would this do?” said Bracy. “Suppose we pick out a good place just as it is getting dark, and settle ourselves down to watch.”
“That sounds right, sir,” said Gedge encouragingly. “Then, as soon as they have got used to seeing us there looking over the stones, suppose we slip off our ’elmets, and leave them on the rocks, and creep away for some distance before we rise, and then go on as fast as we can so as the ’elmets may keep ’em off for a bit, sir.”
“Yes; I see what you mean, but the trick is too old. Remember how the men put their helmets or caps above the breastworks to tempt them to fire. Depend upon it they would suspect.”
“May be, sir, may be not; but we’re in a fix, and we must do something.”
“But the thing is what?”
“If we wanted to go back, sir—to retreat,” began Gedge.
“Which we do not,” said Bracy coldly.
“Of course not right away, sir; but to make a fresh start, that dodge would do.”