outed. "Lie down for a minute to get breath,
then let every other man open fire, but don't throw away a shot. Let the
others try and get some stones out of the wall and make loop-holes."

As yet they had not been seen by the Germans, and these were but fifty
yards away in a thick line of skirmishers, when Des Valles gave the
word, and the Franc-tireurs, rising on one knee and resting their
muskets on the wall, opened a steady fire upon them. Many fell, and
taken by surprise the rest ran back to a wall some thirty yards in rear
and thence opened a heavy fire.

"Lie down, lads," Des Valles shouted, and all set to work to loop-hole
the wall. "Don't show your heads above it, unless they advance again.
All we have got to do is to hold our ground."

CHAPTER XIII.

By the aid of their sword-bayonets the Franc-tireurs soon pierced the
wall, and lying at full length a yard apart, replied to the enemy's
fire. Through the smoke they could just make out the upper line of the
wall, and as the Prussians stood up to fire picked them off. Henri
Vaucour crept along the line urging the men to fire slowly.

"They will advance presently," he said. "You can tell by the fire that
they are getting thicker and thicker. We must check their rush."

Five minutes later there was a deep cheer and a crowd of dark figures
leaped over the wall. A flash of fire ran along the line of defenders,
and then as fast as the Chassepots could be reloaded a rolling fire
broke out. So heavy was it that before crossing a third of the
intervening space the Germans wavered, hesitated, and then ran back to
their shelter.

"Bravo! bravo!" Des Valles shouted, springing to his feet in his
excitement, but as he spoke the enemy's fire broke out again, "Vive la
France!" he shouted, and then fell heavily backwards.

His fall was noticed only by those nearest to him, for the Franc-tireurs
were all busy. The rattle of musketry in the houses to their right
showed that the French were still holding their own.

The Germans were apparently waiting for reinforcements before they
attempted another rush against the position held by their invisible
foes. They in turn loop-holed the wall they held and the musketry duel
continued. Between the walls were two lines of low hedges, but the
leaves had fallen and each party could see the loopholes through which
their opponents fired. Henri Vaucour, who was now in command, ordered
half the men to crawl back to the next wall