"Porthos, you are a goose! What would be the good of burdening ourselves with anything so useless?" "I should hardly think that a heavy musket, a dozen cartridges, and a powder flask would be useless when one is in the presence of an enemy." "Dear me!" said Athos, "didn't you hear what D'Artagnan was saying?" "What did D'Artagnan say?" asked Porthos. "He said that during last night's attack eight or ten Frenchmen were killed, and as many Rochellois." "Well?" "Well, hasn't everybody been too busy ever since to think of stripping the dead bodies?" "What then?" "What then? Why, we shall find their muskets, their flasks, and their cartridges, all waiting for us; and instead of four muskets and twelve charges, there will be fifteen pieces and a hundred bullets." "O Athos," exclaimed Aramis, "you are a great man!" Porthos nodded approval; only D'Artagnan did not seem to be convinced; and Grimaud appeared to have his doubts, for seeing they were still making for the bastion (which up to that moment he had declined to believe), he plucked his master by the coat. "Where are we going?" he asked by a sign. Athos pointed out the bastion. "But," objected Grimaud, speaking always in pantomime, "we shall leave our bodies there." Athos raised his hands and eyes to heaven. Grimaud placed his basket on the ground and sat down, shaking his head. Athos took a pistol from his belt, looked to see if it was well primed, cocked it, and approached the barrel to Grimaud's ear. Grimaud was on his legs again, as if by magic. Athos then signed to him to take up the basket and go on. Grimaud obeyed. When they reached the bastion, the four friends turned round and beheld over three hundred soldiers assembled at the gate of the camp; M. De Busigny, the dragoon, the Swiss, and their silent companion forming a group apart. Athos removed his hat, put it on the edge of his sword, and waved it in the air. The spectators returned his salute and gave a great hurrah, which penetrated to their ears even at that distance. Then all four disappeared inside the bastion, where Grimaud had preceded them. THE CONSULTATION OF THE MUSKETEERS From 'The Three Musketeers' As Athos had assumed, the bastion was only occupied by a dozen dead men, French and Rochellois. "Gentlemen," said Athos, to whom the command of the expedition naturally fell, "while Grimaud lays out breakfast, we will begin by picking up the muskets and cartridges, and of course there is nothing in this employment to prevent our talking. Our friends here," he added, pointing to the dead, "will pay no attention to us." "But after we have made sure they have nothing in their pockets, we had better throw them into the trench," said Porthos. "Yes," replied Athos, "that is Grimaud's business." "Well then," said D'Artagnan, "let Grimaud search them, and after he has done so, throw them over the wall." "He shall do nothing of the sort," replied Athos; "we may find them useful yet."