ervant.

"Grimaud," said he, pointing to the dead who were lying on the
bastion, "you will take these gentlemen and prop them up against the
wall, and put their hats on their heads and their guns in their
hands."

"Great man!" ejaculated D'Artagnan; "I begin to see."

"You do?" asked Porthos.

"Do _you_ understand, Grimaud?" said Aramis.

Grimaud nodded.

"Then we are all right," said Athos....

"On guard!" cried D'Artagnan. "Look at those red and black points
moving down there! A regiment, did you call it, Athos?--it is a
perfect army!"

"My word, yes!" said Athos, "there they come! How cunning to beat
neither drums nor trumpets. Are you ready, Grimaud?"

Grimaud silently nodded, and showed them a dozen dead men, arranged
skillfully in various attitudes, some porting arms, some taking aim,
others drawing their swords.

"Well done!" exclaimed Athos, "it does honor to your imagination."

"If it is all the same to you," said Porthos, "I should like to
understand what is going on."

"Let us get away first," replied D'Artagnan, "and you will understand
after."

"One moment, please! Give Grimaud time to clear away the breakfast."

"Ah!" said Aramis; "the red and black specks are becoming more
distinct, and I agree with D'Artagnan that we have no time to lose
before we regain the camp."

"Very well," rejoined Athos, "I have nothing to say against
retreating. The wager was for an hour, and we have been here an hour
and a half. Let us be off at once."

The four comrades went out at the back, following Grimaud, who had
already departed with the basket.

"Oh!" cried Athos, stopping suddenly, "what the devil is to be done?"

"Has anything been forgotten?" asked Aramis.

"Our flag, man, our flag! We can't leave our flag in the enemy's
hands, if it is nothing but a napkin." And Athos dashed again into the
bastion, and bore away the flag unhurt, amid a volley of balls from
the Rochellois.

He waved his flag, while turning his back on the troops of the town,
and saluting those of the camp. From both sides arose great cries, of
anger on the one hand and enthusiasm on the other, and the napkin,
pierced with three bullet-holes, was in truth transformed into a flag.
"Come down, come down!" they shouted from the camp.

Athos came down, and his friends, who had awaited him anxiously,
received him with joy.

"Be quick, Athos," said D'Artagnan; "now that we have got everything
but money, it would be stupid to ge