ocial standing--the difference of rank is very much put aside,
except on duty.

"And you say that they have a sentinel at every fifty or sixty
yards, along the line?" Major Tempe said, when Ralph had given an
account of their day's investigation. "That appears, to me, to be
fatal to our plans."

"Why so?" Lieutenant de Maupas--who commanded the first
company--asked. "It seems to me that nothing could be easier.
Suppose we fell upon any given point, the sentries near it would be
at once killed, or made prisoners; and even allowing--as young
Barclay says--that there are troops in all the villages, it would
be a good half hour before a force, sufficient to disturb us, could
arrive."

"That is true enough," Major Tempe answered. "But what could we do,
in half an hour? We might pull up two hundred yards of rail. What
real advantage would be gained by that? The line of sentries along
the rail would, by firing their rifles, pass the news ten miles, in
half as many minutes; and the trains would be stopped long before
they arrived at the break. Each train carries, I know, workmen and
materials for repairing the line; and as it would be impossible for
us to carry away the rails, after pulling them up, they would be
replaced in as short a time as it took us to tear them up; and the
consequence would be that the traffic would only be suspended for
an hour or two, at most. For a break to be of any real utility,
whatever, it must last for days, if not for weeks.

"The great coup, of course, would be the destruction of the rock
tunnel of Saverne, which was the special object of our presence
here. Failing that, we must try a bridge. The tunnel, however, is
the great affair. Once destroyed, there would be no repairing it,
for many weeks. My proposition is, therefore, that we turn our
attention at once to that point."

There was a general murmur of assent.

"The best course would be for Hardin's company to march direct to
the other end of the tunnel, seize it, and prevent interference
from that end; while the others then seize the Saverne end, and
hold it while preparations are made for blowing it up. Then, when
the match is lighted, fall back--if possible--before the arrival of
heavy bodies of the enemy."

"Nothing could be better," Lieutenant de Maupas exclaimed, and the
other officers agreed with him.

"What day do you propose for the movement?"

"The day after tomorrow, at daybreak," Major Tempe said. "That will
give us