een rounded, and the rail swept in a gentle curve
round the corner and into the extension of the gallery.

"Halt!" shouted the veteran suddenly. "This is the spot that I have
aimed for. Now look! On our left is a wide opening which enters the
hall in which the garrison could take their meals and sleep, and which
can accommodate, perhaps, at a squeeze, a thousand of them. Right
opposite this entrance there is a stairway, and at its top another
room--one of a series of gun emplacements now empty. It will do for
us, my Henri, I believe. Let us ascend."

Taking up the ammunition-boxes at once, and leaving the trolley at the
foot of the stairs, the party scrambled upwards till they found
themselves in a square chamber lit by an embrasure in the wall, through
which the wintry rays percolated. Standing just at the entrance, and
turning round, Henri discovered that, thanks to the height of the
opening into the big hall beneath the fort, he was able to look
directly into it, though the far end was hidden from view by the
stonework at the top. A swift glance round the chamber which they had
reached showed him thick masonry all about, steel beams above, and iron
rails of circular pattern on the floor, on which the guns had been wont
to revolve.

"Well, then?" asked the veteran.

"It will do," Henri told him. "But what we shall want is someone to
discover something with which to barricade the top of these stairs.
Let us divide ourselves into three parties. Jules, you will command
one, our friend the corporal another, and this bearded chum of ours the
third. Now, listen."

"Yes, listen to him, to our Henri," cried the veteran. "For it's
agreed, is it not, my comrades, that he shall command us?"

"Certainly!" they all shouted.

"Then, here is the plan: our bearded friend stays here and sends a
portion of his command about the place to discover sacks of grain,
blocks of stone or of timber, anything, in fact, which will allow us to
build a wall across the top of the stairs. Jules and his men will
descend the stairs and hunt round the fort, while our corporal and his
party will retrace their footsteps, pushing the trolley with them, and
will bring in to us as much food and as much small-arm ammunition as
they can find, and then boxes of ammunition for our machine-gun."

The band of resolute _poilus_, whose eyes were now sparkling with
excitement, for but a little while before they had resigned themselves
to captur