Strategy

Reb had been thinking hard about the siege. “You know, Josh. I got me an idea. Have you noticed the last two times they've charged out of that grove of trees? I think they know this side of the wall's the weakest. I'm gambling they're gonna try it again, almost any time.”

Josh looked over the wall and saw the gleam of armor under the cover of trees. “I believe you're right. We'd better get some help around here to stand them off.”

Reb shook his head. “We can't do it forever. I say we got to do something different.”

“Different? Like what?”

“Like Stonewall Jackson did at Second Manassas. He let the Yankees go right by and when they were through, he hit ’em in the rear. Whipped the daylights out of ‘em—that time, anyway.”

Josh thought about that, then nodded slowly. “It might work, but I doubt if the king would let us try it.”

“Let's find out,” Reb said.

Ten minutes later Josh and Reb stood before Elendar and the king and Prince Loren. Reb laid out his plan quickly.

Elendar nodded. “I see what you mean. I noticed the same thing—they always attack that part of the wall.”

“That's right,” Reb said excitedly, “and what I say we should do is sneak some men out the other side, let them work their way around, and when Melchior's men hit those ladders, we hit them from the rear. They won't have no place to retreat to. That kinda discourages a fellow a little bit.”

Loren brightened. “I think Reb's right. Father, let's try it.”

Dion looked at the two young men. “So be it. You two take the flanks. Reb, you work your way around to the east. Loren, to the west. When they charge, let them get up on the ladders, then hit them with everything you have.”

Reb wanted to let out a Rebel yell, but he said, “That's business, Your Majesty! Come on, Loren.”

Within thirty minutes the two forces had crept out the back of Camelot, having arranged a trumpet blast signal. “When you hear that,” Reb said, “you hit ‘em, and I'll hit ’em, and we'll scrunch them critters!”

Reb led his men around the wall, keeping out of sight behind the grove of trees that shielded the castle. Josh and Dave, Wash and Jake—all were with him.

Reb said, “Now, when we hit, hit with everything you've got, all right?”

Suddenly he heard Melchior's men shout as they charged the castle walls. “Let ’em get up them ladders,” he whispered, “then we got ’em.”

He watched carefully and when all the dark-clad knights had emerged from the woods and were scrambling up the ladders, he took the horn that was secured around his neck by a lanyard and blew with all his might. “Come on! ”he shouted. “Get ’em!”

There followed a wild melee. Loren's small force struck the enemy on one flank while Reb's force struck them on the other. Melchior's men looked back and saw that their retreat was cut off. Screaming with rage and fear, they scrambled down the ladders only to meet the sword points of the forces that had trapped them.

“We got ‘em! We got ’em!” Reb yelled.