That column never came; only a letter arrived by runner saying that it would be unable to join in the attack after all.

"The only thing we could do," says Baden-Powell, "was to try and bluff the enemy out of the place." So he arranged to win the battle by cunning of the brain.

Sending five-and-twenty men to climb a hill which commanded a part of the stronghold, with instructions to act as if they were two hundred and fifty, and giving small parties of Hussars similar instructions regarding the left flank and rear of the enemy, Baden-Powell got his artillery ready to bombard the central position.

Just as the five-and-twenty reached the summit of their hill, however, they were observed by the enemy and instantly fired upon.

From hilltop to hilltop rang the call to arms, and B.-P.