he had set up in the most picturesque attitudes. Some carried
arms, others seemed to be taking aim, and the remainder appeared merely
to be sword in hand.

"Bravo!" said Athos; "that does honor to your imagination."

"All very well," said Porthos, "but I should like to understand."

"Let us decamp first, and you will understand afterward."

"A moment, gentlemen, a moment; give Grimaud time to clear away the
breakfast."

"Ah, ah!" said Aramis, "the black points and the red points are visibly
enlarging. I am of d'Artagnan's opinion; we have no time to lose in
regaining our camp."

"My faith," said Athos, "I have nothing to say against a retreat. We
bet upon one hour, and we have stayed an hour and a half. Nothing can be
said; let us be off, gentlemen, let us be off!"

Grimaud was already ahead, with the basket and the dessert. The four
friends followed, ten paces behind him.

"What the devil shall we do now, gentlemen?" cried Athos.

"Have you forgotten anything?" said Aramis.

"The white flag, morbleu! We must not leave a flag in the hands of the
enemy, even if that flag be but a napkin."

And Athos ran back to the bastion, mounted the platform, and bore off
the flag; but as the Rochellais had arrived within musket range, they
opened a terrible fire upon this man, who appeared to expose himself for
pleasure's sake.

But Athos might be said to bear a charmed life. The balls passed and
whistled all around him; not one struck him.

Athos waved his flag, turning his back on the guards of the city, and
saluting those of the camp. On both sides loud cries arose--on the one
side cries of anger, on the other cries of enthusiasm.

A second discharge followed the first, and three balls, by passing
through it, made the napkin really a flag. Cries were heard from the
camp, "Come down! come down!"

Athos came down; his friends, who anxiously awaited him, saw him
returned with joy.

"Come along, Athos, come along!" cried d'Artagnan; "now we have found
everything except money, it would be stupid to be killed."

But Athos continued to march majestically, whatever remarks his
companions made; and they, finding their remarks useless, regulated
their pace by his.

Grimaud and his basket were far in advance, out of the range of the
balls.

At the end of an instant they heard a furious fusillade.

"What's that?" asked Porthos, "what are they firing at now? I hear no
balls whistle, and I see nobody!"

"They are fi