sir?"

"Yes, I think so," the lieutenant said.

"Then we will go in to our dinner," Ralph said. "Who knows where we
may dine, tomorrow?"

Day was just beginning to break, when Percy Barclay started up in
his bed. He listened for an instant, and heard the crack of a
rifle.

"Up, Ralph; up all of you!" he shouted. "We are attacked."

The others were on their feet in an instant. None of them had
thought of undressing and, as they seized their arms and
equipments, the whistle of Lieutenant de Maupas sounded loud and
shrill. As they issued out there was, already, a scene of bustle
and confusion in the village. The franc tireurs were rushing from
the doors. The villagers were also pouring out, women screaming and
men swearing.

"You had better drive off your animals up into the forest, and
carry off whatever you can of value, and send the women and
children off, at once," De Maupas shouted, to the head man of the
village. "We will give you as much time as we can but, if they are
in full strength, it will not be long.

"Now, lads, forward! Don't throw away a shot. Take advantage of
every possible cover, and fall back as slowly and steadily as you
can. The commandant will be here, with the second company, in half
an hour. I had a message from him, late last night."

The men advanced at once, at the double, and in an instant had a
view of what was going on. The six men out, as sentries, were
falling back rapidly towards the village; and two dark bodies of
infantry were approaching, abreast of each other, but at a distance
of two or three hundred yards apart. They were some five hundred
yards beyond the retreating sentries; who were, themselves, a few
hundred yards below the village. The enemy had, at present, made no
reply whatever to the fire of the sentries.

"Advance slowly, in skirmishing order," De Maupas said. "One flank
of the company oppose each column. Open fire at once, sight for
seven hundred yards, take advantage of cover, and fire steadily."

A steady fire was at once opened and, although its effects could
not be perceived, they were evidently sensible; for the columns
immediately threw out half their strength, as skirmishers, and
opened fire. In a hundred paces De Maupas halted his men, and told
them to lie down behind shelter.

The enemy were now five hundred yards off, and the franc tireurs
had been joined by the sentries. The numbers were four to one and,
although the position was of considerabl