iscovered.

A sentry was posted at each end. At a cottage hard by were ten
others, while there were twenty in the village they had just left.
There were also sentries down the line; but these were far enough
apart to render it certain that they could not muster in time to
interfere, seriously, with the enterprise. With this information,
they returned to the forest.

A council of war was held; and it was decided that the news was
satisfactory, and that the attack should take place at daybreak.
Each man was instructed in the work he would have to perform.
Lieutenant Houdin, with thirty men, was to surprise the German
party in the village. The rest--having made a detour to avoid the
village--were to be in readiness to attack the posts near the
bridge, immediately a gun was fired in the village. The attack was
to be made at daybreak. From the bridge, to the nearest point where
the forest was thick enough to afford a safe shelter, was a
distance of about two miles.

As soon as it became dark, the camp fires were allowed to bum low;
and shortly afterwards the whole corps, with the exception of the
sentries, were sound asleep. At four o'clock they were roused, and
marched silently off in the appointed direction. By five o'clock
each party was at its post and, for half an hour, they lay in
expectancy. The Barclays were with Major Tempe's party, near the
bridge. Louis Duburg, and Tim, were with the party at the village.

The attack upon the village was to take place at half-past five;
and never did moments appear so slow, to the boys, as those which
passed as they awaited the signal. At last the silence was broken
by the sharp crack of a rifle, followed by three or four others.

"There goes the Prussian sentry, and there is our reply," Major
Tempe said. "Now, lads, forward!"

As he spoke, the sentry on the bridge fired his rifle; immediately,
this was repeated by the next sentry on the line, and the signal
was taken up by each sentry, until the sound died in the distance.
As it had done so, the franc tireurs had made a rush forwards. They
were met by a straggling discharge from the Germans as, half
asleep, they hurried out from the guard room. This was answered by
the fire of the franc tireurs, who surrounded them. Five fell; and
the others, surprised and panic stricken, threw down their arms.
They were instantly secured, and the bridge was at once seized.

The firing still continued in the village; but in another five