“Ami. Pour la France!” was the response, and in a moment later Colonel Chadoume joined us.
“There will be fighting to-night,” he said briefly. “There are thousands of those black devils.”
“There will not be so many when our sabres have whirled through them,” observed Lavigniac grimly.
“We are caught like rats in a trap,” whispered the colonel in a low tone, so that the men should not overhear his misgivings. “The only way in which we can save ourselves is to apprise Le Pelletier of our position, and give him a plan of the country between In Zizé and Chikh Salah from the survey we have made.”
“But how can we?” asked Maurel. “Whoever went would have to pass the lines of the enemy at the risk of being shot.”
We were silent for several minutes.
“I will go,” I said at last.
“You?” exclaimed the three men in surprise.
I nodded.
“I will make the attempt,” I added.