"My boys," replied Materne, haughtily, "are true hunters; they know how to wait the moment and profit by it. They will only fire when I call. You can rest assured! and now, let us start; we must be back before night."
They departed.
"Good luck to you!" shouted Hullin, while they mounted the snow in order to avoid the breastworks.
They soon descended toward the narrow path, which turns sharply on the right of the mountain.
The partisans watched them. Their red frizzy hair, long muscular legs, their broad shoulders, and supple, quick movements,—all showed that in case of an encounter, five or six "kaiserlichs" would have little chance against such fine fellows.
In a quarter of an hour they had reached the pine-forest and disappeared.
Then Hullin quietly returned to the farm, talking to Nickel Bentz.
Doctor Lorquin walked behind, followed by Pluto, and all the others returned to their places round the bivouac fires.