"Then fire;" and as Athos gave the word, the muskets rang out and four men fell. Then the drum beat, and the little army advanced to the charge, while all the while the fire was kept up, irregularly, but with a sure aim. The Rochellois however did not flinch, but came on steadily. When they reached the foot of the bastion, the enemy still numbered twelve or fifteen. A sharp fire received them, but they never faltered, and leaping the trench, prepared to scale the breach. "Now, comrades!" cried Athos. "Let us make an end of them. To the wall!" And all four, aided by Grimaud, began to push with their guns a huge block of wall, which swayed as if with the wind, and then rolled slowly down into the trench. A horrible cry was heard, a cloud of dust mounted upwards; and all was silent. "Have we crushed them all, do you think?" asked Athos. "It looks like it," answered D'Artagnan. "No," said Porthos, "for two or three are limping off." Athos looked at his watch. "Gentlemen," he said, "an hour has elapsed since we came here, and we have won our bet." ... "What is going on in the town?" asked Athos. "It is a call to arms." They listened, and the sound of a drum reached their ears. "They must be sending us an entire regiment," said Athos. "You don't mean to fight a whole regiment?" said Porthos. "Why not?" asked the musketeer. "If we had only had the sense to bring another dozen bottles, I could make head against an army!" "As I live, the drum is coming nearer," said D'Artagnan. "Let it," replied Athos. "It takes a quarter of an hour to get from here to the town, so it takes a quarter of an hour to get from the town here. That is more than enough time for us to arrange our plans. If we leave this, we shall never find such a good position.... But I must first give Grimaud his orders;" and Athos made a sign to his servant. "Grimaud," said he, pointing to the dead who were lying on the bastion, "you will take these gentlemen and prop them up against the wall, and put their hats on their heads and their guns in their hands." "Great man!" ejaculated D'Artagnan; "I begin to see." "You do?" asked Porthos. "Do _you_ understand, Grimaud?" said Aramis. Grimaud nodded. "Then we are all right," said Athos.... "On guard!" cried D'Artagnan. "Look at those red and black points moving down there! A regiment, did you call it, Athos?--it is a perfect army!" "My word, yes!" said Athos, "there they come! How cunning to beat neither drums nor trumpets. Are you ready, Grimaud?" Grimaud silently nodded, and showed them a dozen dead men, arranged skillfully in various attitudes, some porting arms, some taking aim, others drawing their swords. "Well done!" exclaimed Athos, "it does honor to your imagination." "If it is all the same to you," said Porthos, "I should like to understand what is going on." "Let us get away first," replied D'Artagnan, "and you will understand after." "One moment, please! Give Grimaud time to clear away the breakfast."