The firing had almost ceased by now, because there was no further need of wasting precious ammunition on the part of the provident Germans. The charge of the impetuous French had been stopped, and if they still meant to carry the ford they must gather what was left of their force for a second attempt.
Still, while that one battery covered the crossing it seemed madness for them to risk the annihilation of their men in another effort.
“It was a fluke, after all!” Josh was calling out in bitter disappointment; “they never had a chance to get over while that awful battery covered the ford. Oh! how I wish a part of them at least had managed to get across. Look, Rod, as I live, one lone Frenchman did succeed in crossing. You can see him crawling along in the scrub there, his red breeches betraying his every movement. Just a single one of all that brave lot, and he’ll be either killed right away or made a prisoner, like as not!”
Somehow both boys found themselves compelled to watch the progress of the crawling Frenchman. He seemed only a grain of sand on the seashore compared with the mighty forces employed on both sides, and yet at that particular moment he occupied the centre of the stage in their minds. Without knowing why this should be so they continued to follow his movements with their eyes.
Then suddenly Josh broke out again. He could make himself heard because there was little if any desultory firing now; the Germans were satisfied with the execution already accomplished, while the mortified French held their fire until further plans could be settled upon.
“Rod, what do you reckon that madman means to try and do?” he asked excitedly; “see how he keeps on creeping straight along toward where that battery is hidden behind some sort of barricade. Honest to goodness, now, I believe he means to tackle the entire business all by himself; just like a Frenchman for desperate bravery. He must be crazy to think he can do anything unaided, Rod.”
“Don’t be too sure of that, Josh,” the other told him immediately; “unless I miss my guess that man has got some project he’s meaning to put through, come what will.”
“Oh! now I see what you mean, Rod; yes, as sure as anything he’s carrying something in his hand, and I do believe it must be a bomb that he’s meaning to throw over the barricade on to that battery! It’s a great scheme, Rod, but with not one chance in ten to succeed.”
With strained eyes they watched the creeping figure with the telltale red trousers that added so greatly to his peril. Shortly afterwards Josh broke out again in what might be called a lament.
“Too bad, too bad, Rod, they’ve glimpsed him at last, just as I was afraid they’d be doing. You can see some of their sharpshooters further back are sending a rain of balls in that direction, for they make little puffs of dust fly up everywhere they strike. He’s bound to be hit in a jiffy now. Oh! see that, would you?”