"Good!" exclaimed the French soldier. "One half of the work done and most of us are still here. We'll hold them!"
"Of course we'll hold them, Francois," exclaimed another. "Surely you didn't think we couldn't do it?"
"Well," was the reply. "It's a pretty big job and—"
"But we were ordered to hold them for two hours," protested the other.
"Of course," returned the man addressed as Francois. "That settles it.
Two hours are two hours."
"Right," said the other. "Also two hours are only two hours, which makes it that much better."
"But at the end of two hours, then what?" asked a third soldier.
The man who had first engaged Francois in conversation shrugged his shoulders.
"That," he said, "is not for us to decide. But we will not be forgotten, you may be sure of that. Our general will see that we are relieved."
"You may rest assured on that score," Hal agreed. "Having picked you as the men to defend this important position, it is not to be expected that he will see you all sacrificed."