ns of Saint Julien send a storm of shot and
shell to awaken them, causing an instant turn-out of the men in a body
to resist a possible sortie. Bazaine made perpetual feints of this
sort, with the evident intention of wearying out his antagonists, even
if he could do them no further harm.

The position was like that of a cat watching a mouse-hole, the timid
little occupant of which would every now and then put out its head to
see whether the coast were clear; and then, perceiving its enemy on the
watch, provokingly draw it in again, leaving pussy angry at her repeated
disappointments and almost inclined to bite her paws with vexation at
her inability to follow up her prey into its stronghold; for, the heavy
artillery of the fortress so protected the surrounding country adjacent
to Metz, that the Germans had to place the batteries of their works out
of its range, that is, almost at a distance of some four miles from the
French camp--of which any bombardment was found after a time to be worse
than useless, causing the most infinitesimal amount of damage in return
for an enormous expenditure of ammunition and projectiles that had to be
conveyed over very precarious roads all the way from the frontiers of
the Rhine into the heart of Lorraine.

"Oh, that the French would only do something!" cried Fritz and his
companions, sick of inactivity and the wearisome nature of their duties,
which, after the excitement of battle and the stirring campaigning they
had already gone through, seemed now far worse than guard-mounting in
Coblentz. "Oh, that the French would only do something to end this
tedious siege!"

Soon this wish was gratified.

On the morning of the 6th of October, when the investiture of Metz had
lasted some six weeks or more--just at daybreak--a heavy, dull report
was heard at Mercy-le-Haut. It was like the bursting of a mine.

"Something is up at last!" exclaimed one of the staff-officers, entering
the tent where Fritz and others were stretched on the bare ground,
trying to keep themselves as warm as they could with all the spare
blankets and other covering that could be collected heaped over
them--"Something is up at last! Rouse up; the general assembly has
sounded!"

The ringing bugle notes without in the frosty air emphasised these
words, causing the young fellows to turn out hastily, without requiring
any further summons.

Aye, something was up. The pioneers of the Seventh German army corps,
on the