"Well, then, gentlemen," said General Raimbaut, "we begin by settling
the contingents to be furnished by your several brigades. Say, an equal
number from each. The sum total shall be settled by Colonel Dujardin,
who has so long and ably baffled the bastion at this post."
Colonel Dujardin bowed stiffly and not very graciously. In his heart he
despised these old fogies, compounds of timidity and rashness.
"So, how many men in all, colonel?" asked General Raimbaut.
"The fewer the better," replied the other solemnly, "since"--and then
discipline tied his tongue.
"I understand you," said the old man. "Shall we say eight hundred men?"
"I should prefer three hundred. They have made a back door to the
bastion, and the means of flight at hand will put flight into their
heads. They will pick off some of our men as we go at them. When the
rest jump in they will jump out, and"--He paused.
"Why, he knows all about it before it comes," said one of the colonels
naively.
"I do. I see the whole operation and its result before me, as I see this
hand. Three hundred men will do.
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