"If you please," said the aide-de-camp stiffly.
Colonel Dujardin took him to the parapet, and began, in a calm,
painstaking way, to show him how and why none of his guns could be
brought to bear upon Long Tom.
In the middle of the explanation a melodious sound was heard in the air
above them, like a swarm of Brobdingnag bees.
"What is that?" inquired the aide-de-camp.
"What? I see nothing."
"That humming noise."
"Oh, that? Prussian bullets. Ah, by-the-by, it is a compliment to your
uniform, monsieur; they take you for some one of importance. Well, as I
was observing"--
"Your explanation is sufficient, colonel; let us get out of this. Ha,
ha! you are a cool hand, colonel, I must say. But your battery is a warm
place enough: I shall report it so at headquarters."
The grim colonel relaxed.
"Captain," said he politely, "you shall not have ridden to my post in
vain. Will you lend me your horse for ten minutes?"
"Certainly; and I will inspect your trenches meantime."
"Do so; oblige me by avoiding that angle; it is exposed, and the enemy
have got the range to an inch.
Pages:
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482