up from behind and fill in the gap
while we defend it."

What a pandemonium there was in that comparatively narrow space up
which the stone steps ascended, and across the top of which the
barricade of corn-sacks had been erected. Every step was crammed with
Brandenburgers, while down below, in the gallery along which the
miniature railway ran, which, with its truck, had proved of such
service, the exit from the huge hall in the shattered interior of the
fort, and that hall itself, were packed with shouting individuals, with
men pressing forward to the attack, with fallen soldiers, and with
wounded who called in shrill accents to their comrades. Those at the
top of the stairs were bellowing with anger, and some with fear; for,
forced on by the press from behind, and beaten by the opposition of the
Frenchmen, they were, as it were, between two fires, and escape, and
even the power of defence, were out of the question. They dropped,
indeed, as Henri and his friends fired amongst them; while the bearded
veteran, setting a splendid example to his comrades, leapt on to some
of the fallen bags, and, leaning over the swaying wall, made havoc
amongst the Germans with his bayonet. Then of a sudden the shouts died
away, there was a rush of steps on the stairway, and silence--a silence
which was almost painful, which seemed to smite the ear of those
gallant men holding the gun embrasure and the chamber.

[Illustration: THAT BEARDED VETERAN, LEANING OVER THE SWAYING WALL,
MADE HAVOC AMONG THE GERMANS WITH HIS BAYONET"]

"It was hot work, my Henri, while it lasted," chuckled the bearded
_poilu_ as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, and stood up after
having deposited a fresh bag in its place; "but, mon Dieu! those
Brandenburgers fight like the devil! And how they hate us; and how we
hate them! Yes, yes! This is a war to the death! This is fighting
for France! And only over our bodies shall they advance towards Paris.
Comrades, we are holding them back. We here in the remains of this
fortress, we are helping to keep the Kaiser's hordes away from the
interior of France; helping, too, to rob him of victory and conquest."

Yes, indeed! The violent efforts of these men were helping not a
little to check the advance of the enemy, just as the heroic fighting
of the French all along the battered trenches round the salient of
Verdun was assisting in defeating the enemy's object. We have said
already that the conquest and ca