rather what was
left of it--a thousand men, encamped along the river bank among some
waste lands, with no protection save a row of slender poplars. If he had
only turned to the left the night before instead of pursuing a straight
course he could have been with his regiment at once. And he noticed that
almost all the line regiments were collected along that part of the bank
that extends from the Tour a Glaire to the Chateau of Villette--another
bourgeois country place, situated more in the direction of Donchery and
surrounded by a few hovels--all of them having selected their
bivouac near the bridge, sole issue from their prison, as sheep will
instinctively huddle together close to the door of their fold, knowing
that sooner or later it will be opened for them.

Jean uttered a cry of pleasure. "Ah, so it's you, at last! I had begun
to think you were in the river."

He was there with what remained of the squad, Pache and Lapoulle, Loubet
and Chouteau. The last named had slept under doorways in Sedan until
the attention of the Prussian provost guard had finally restored them to
their regiment. The corporal, moreover, was the only surviving officer
of the company, death having taken away Sergeant Sapin, Lieutenant
Rochas and Captain Beaudoin, and although the victors had abolished
distinction of rank among the prisoners, deciding that obedience was due
to the German officers alone, the four men had, nevertheless, rallied
to him, knowing him to be a leader of prudence and experience, upon whom
they could rely in circumstances of difficulty. Thus it was that
peace and harmony reigned among them that morning, notwithstanding the
stupidity of some and the evil designs of others. In the first place,
the night before he had found them a place to sleep in that was
comparatively dry, where they had stretched themselves on the ground,
the only thing they had left in the way of protection from the weather
being the half of a shelter-tent. After that he had managed to secure
some wood and a kettle, in which Loubet made coffee for them, the
comforting warmth of which had fortified their stomachs. The rain had
ceased, the day gave promise of being bright and warm, they had a small
supply of biscuit and bacon left, and then, as Chouteau said, it was a
comfort to have no orders to obey, to have their fill of loafing. They
were prisoners, it was true, but there was plenty of room to move about.
Moreover, they would be away from there in