"Do not fire if you can help it, but make prisoners of whoever comes along the road," was the Major's command, and with their nerves strung up to the highest pitch of excitement they waited for victims.
Presently a Frenchman came into sight from the direction of the fort, sauntering along in blissful ignorance of danger.
He was allowed to go unchallenged until well into the ambush, and then Major Rogers, without permitting himself to be seen, called out in his deep gruff voice:
"Arrêtez!"
The soldier jumped as if he had been shot at this startling interruption of his morning walk and came to an instant stop, while with bulging eyes he stared in the direction whence the sound had come.
In order to make sure that the man was alone Major Rogers kept himself and his men hidden for a few minutes longer, and then, when he was satisfied on that point, ordered Seth to go forward and seize the Frenchman.
On the latter perceiving only a youth coming toward him he regained his courage somewhat, and showed signs of resisting, but the stern voice of the Major bid him not be a fool, and the next instant the forms of fifty armed men appeared on either side of the road.
This sight so terrified the poor fellow that he dropped upon his knees and in his own tongue begged for mercy so piteously that Seth as he laid hold of him was moved to say:
"Don't be so scared. We're not going to kill you. We're just taking you prisoner."
The soldier could not understand his words, but he could the tone in which they were uttered, and, looking into the face of his captor, he said something which Seth on his part failed to comprehend, but which really was a passionate promise to do whatever they wanted of him if only they would spare his life.