He had scarcely uttered the words when four muskets fired simultaneously. The balls fell round Athos, but not one grazed him.
Four muskets immediately answered, but these were better directed than the others. Three of the soldiers fell dead, and one of the sappers was wounded.
"Grimaud, another musket," said Athos, who was still on the breach. Grimaud obeyed; a second volley was fired; the brigadier and two pioneers fell dead, and the rest of the troop took flight.
"Now we must make a sortie," cried Athos; and the four comrades dashed out of the fort, picked up the muskets belonging to the dead soldiers, and retreated to the bastion, carrying the trophies of their victory....
"To arms!" called Grimaud.
The young men jumped up and ran for their muskets.
This time the advancing troop was composed of twenty or twenty-five men, but they were no longer sappers, but soldiers of the garrison.
"Hadn't we better return to the camp?" said Porthos. "The fight is not equal at all."
"Impossible, for three reasons," said Athos. "First, because we haven't finished breakfast; second, because we have several important things to discuss; and third, because there are still ten minutes before the hour is up."
"Well, anyway," remarked Aramis, "we had better have some plan of campaign."