s soon
as they understand that the gorge is impracticable, they will give up
the point, and we shall feel that we have rendered effectual aid to
France."

In the souls of these patriots there was a singular instinct of
discipline. They listened in silence to Simon's words, and obeyed him
whom they had taken for their leader without question or argument.

Simon called two men and bade them climb the high rocks on one side of
the gorge. From thence they could look down the whole valley. The mists
of the night had slowly drifted away, and the wind had died out. A gleam
of sunshine, as pale as moonlight, rested on the mountain top.

The mountaineers waited long on the rocks, whither they had been sent,
but returned to say that there was not a sound nor a movement.

"Let us go on," said Simon.

The gorge now became so narrow that only three men could move abreast.
On each side rose high walls.

"Now, then," said Simon, "hide here. Keep your eyes open, and waste no
ammunition. And you others will pass through that cleft which commands
the lower road. Conceal yourselves well, and as soon as a Cossack
appears, fire. Hans!"

A peasant ran at the sound of his name.

"If you hear firing from either of these posts, you are to advance at
once with twenty men. Select them now, so that there will be no
confusion."

Michel listened to these orders in silence.

"Well, comrade," said Simon, "what do you think of my arrangements?"

"They are excellent, and you ought to be a general."

"I could serve only the Republic," answered Simon, "I resigned in
1804."

Michel looked at him as if he did not more than half understand, then he
muttered, reluctantly:

"Well, every man is entitled to his opinions."

"Now that our arrangements are made, we two will go on," said Simon.

They walked for some five minutes and reached the entrance of the gorge.
There the road suddenly widened, and gently descended to the valley. On
the left there was an enormous rock forty feet high. It was shaped like
a pyramid standing on its apex. Simon went round it, feeling with his
hands, tearing off bits of moss from time to time.

"Ah! we have it. Here, Michel, dig out this place with your bayonet!"

Michel obeyed, though without the smallest idea of what was to be done,
and soon a hole of about a square foot was discovered.

"Now," said Simon, triumphantly, "I defy the Cossacks to pass this
point!"

He laid on the ground a box that he had bee