helped to restore their courage to them all.

"My God!" ejaculated Maurice, ghastly pale, his teeth chattering. "My
God!"

Jean shook him roughly. "You infernal coward, are you going to be sick
like those fellows over yonder? Behave yourself, or I'll box your
ears."

He was trying to put heart into his friend by gruff but friendly
speeches like the above, when they suddenly beheld a dozen dark forms
emerging from a little wood upon their front and about four hundred
yards away. Their spiked helmets announced them to be Prussians; the
first Prussians they had had within reach of their rifles since the
opening of the campaign. This first squad was succeeded by others, and
in front of their position the little dust clouds that rose where the
French shells struck were distinctly visible. It was all very vivid
and clear-cut in the transparent air of morning; the Germans, outlined
against the dark forest, presented the toy-like appearance of those
miniature soldiers of lead that are the delight of children; then, as
the enemy's shells began to drop in their vicinity with uncomfortable
frequency, they withdrew and were lost to sight within the wood whence
they had come.

But Beaudoin's company had seen them there once, and to their eyes
they were there still; the chassepots seemed to go off of their own
accord. Maurice was the first man to discharge his piece; Jean, Pache,
Lapoulle and the others all followed suit. There had been no order
given to commence firing, and the captain made an attempt to check it,
but desisted upon Rochas's representation that it was absolutely