ken; but this
gesture being repeated, he left the ranks, and advanced to receive
orders.

"Monsieur is about to ask for some men of good will for a dangerous
mission, but one which will do honor to those who shall accomplish
it; and I made you a sign in order that you might hold yourself in
readiness."

"Thanks, my captain!" replied d'Artagnan, who wished for nothing
better than an opportunity to distinguish himself under the eye of the
lieutenant general.

In fact the Rochellais had made a sortie during the night, and had
retaken a bastion of which the royal army had gained possession two days
before. The matter was to ascertain, by reconnoitering, how the enemy
guarded this bastion.

At the end of a few minutes Monsieur raised his voice, and said, "I
want for this mission three or four volunteers, led by a man who can be
depended upon."

"As to the man to be depended upon, I have him under my hand, monsieur,"
said M. Dessessart, pointing to d'Artagnan; "and as to the four or five
volunteers, Monsieur has but to make his intentions known, and the men
will not be wanting."

"Four men of good will who will risk being killed with me!" said
d'Artagnan, raising his sword.

Two of his comrades of the Guards immediately sprang forward, and two
other soldiers having joined them, the number was deemed sufficient.
D'Artagnan declined all others, being unwilling to take the first chance
from those who had the priority.

It was not known whether, after the taking of the bastion, the
Rochellais had evacuated it or left a garrison in it; the object then
was to examine the place near enough to verify the reports.

D'Artagnan set out with his four companions, and followed the trench;
the two Guards marched abreast with him, and the two soldiers followed
behind.

They arrived thus, screened by the lining of the trench, till they
came within a hundred paces of the bastion. There, on turning round,
d'Artagnan perceived that the two soldiers had disappeared.

He thought that, beginning to be afraid, they had stayed behind, and he
continued to advance.

At the turning of the counterscarp they found themselves within about
sixty paces of the bastion. They saw no one, and the bastion seemed
abandoned.

The three composing our forlorn hope were deliberating whether they
should proceed any further, when all at once a circle of smoke enveloped
the giant of stone, and a dozen balls came whistling around d'Artagnan
and his com