Late at night they reached their halting-place.  The guns had been hidden in a thicket, every man having marched with his leader to the attack of the column.  The next morning thirty-six men were chosen, eighteen to each gun, in order that the places of those who might be killed could be filled at once, or, should some more pieces be taken, men would be available already trained to the work.

For four days drill went on without intermission.  The lads found the Polish peasants very intelligent, although it was difficult for them to understand why each movement should be performed with mechanical regularity.  At first, too, the boys’ ignorance of Polish caused them great difficulty; but Stanislas wrote down for them the translation of the words of command, and the movements were taught by the boys themselves performing them, and insisting upon their motions being accurately imitated.  They worked from morning till night, and by the end of the fourth day were satisfied that their men could serve the guns in a workmanlike and regular way.

The Poles themselves were delighted when they found how swiftly and smoothly the work could be done now that they had mastered it, and looked forward with anxiety to try the results upon the Russians.  They had not long to wait.  In a short time friends from the next garrison town brought the news that considerable bodies of fresh troops had arrived there, and that an attack was to be made on the following day by two heavy columns.  Messengers were sent off at once, and during the night the insurgents were joined by three other bands, raising their numbers to nearly 1500 men.  Stanislas told the lads that he intended to move before daybreak, so as to attack one of the columns as soon as it entered the forest, and while the other was too far away to arrive at the scene of action until all would be over.

“I propose,” he said, “to fell some trees across the road, arranging them so that the guns can fire between them, while the trunks will afford the gunners some shelter.  Half the men will be arranged among the trees on either side, so that while the guns sweep the column we shall attack it upon either flank.  I will place a hundred of my best men at the barricade to defend the guns should the column press forward in spite of our efforts; but I believe that we shall have an easy victory.  Our recent partial successes have considerably added to our stock of arms, and as this is the first time that we have brought cannon into play, we may rely upon their effect being considerable.”

The lads begged that they might go forward with the party charged with felling the trees, in order that they might choose the spot, and themselves see to the construction of the defence.  Stanislas chose one of his lieutenants who spoke Russian, and, giving him 200 men, ordered him to carry out the instructions of the lads.  They set off an hour before daylight, and just as the dawn began, arrived at the spot where the struggle was to take place.