I shrugged my shoulders helplessly in reply. He was in no condition to argue with.
"And the rest of you——" He choked in his rage, unable to frame his words. They stood helplessly about, gesticulating their apologies.
He sprang to his feet, gave the bundle a sound kick, and snarled out an order. Pierre and another jumped forward, and together they shouldered it between them. Then the remainder of the valiant guard fell into single file and started back to the fort, the brigadier and myself bringing up the rear. As we trudged on through the sand together he kept muttering to himself. It only occurred to me then that nobody had been hit. By this time even the accomplices were safe.
"Monsieur," I ventured, as we regained the trail leading to the fort, "it is with the sincerest regret of my heart that I offer you my apologies. True, I might have done better, but I did my best in my inexperience. We have the contraband—at least that is something, eh?"
He grew calmer as the thought struck him.
"Yes," he grumbled, "there are in that bundle at least ten thousand cigars. It is, after all, not so bad."
"Might I ask," I returned, "when your excellency intends to honour me with my liberty?"
He stopped, and to my delight held out his hand to me.
"You are free, monsieur," he said roughly, with a touch of his good nature. "The affair is over—but not a word of the manœuvre you have witnessed in the village. Our work here is for the ears of the Government alone."
As we reached the gate of the fort I saluted him, handed my carbine to Pierre in exchange for my shotgun, and struck home in the mist of early dawn.