"I tell you there is no one inside. There's nothing left but the loopholes." "One never knows with these wretches." "The only thing is to go and see." "The Sergeant says that the Major, he'd like to know what's inside that farm." "Well then the only thing is to go and see." "Come on then." They went in search of the Lieutenant. "Lieutenant, can we go out on patrol round the N---- Farm and have a look to see whether there's any Boches inside?" "On patrol ... in a boat you mean?" "We'd make our plans, Lieutenant." The Lieutenant was silent a minute. That farm puzzled him too, but he was anxious about the lives of his men. "It's too dangerous," he replied, and soon after he moved away. The two men looked at each other. "He didn't say No." "He said it was dangerous. We know that." "Let's go then, shall we?" "Yes, we'll go." They spotted a big tub lying in a yard. They emptied it, put it on the water, and set off, each one armed with his gun and a pole. The first one, on getting in, had some difficulty in balancing himself, but for the second one it was still more difficult. The tub tossed about, threatening to turn upside down. Finally they managed to steady it, and they then set sail. With one pole they pushed against the bank, and with the other they steadied themselves in the muddy lake. The tub then moved on heavily and awkwardly, leaning first suddenly to the right, then to the left, and then spinning round an invisible rotation axis. Our patrol was now upset into the water, and the confounded tub, as though proud of its exploit, danced about on the ripples with a contented air. Our two poor rabbits had a struggle. They managed to keep their guns above water and, on coming to land, they looked at each other and burst out laughing. It was evidently impossible for two of them to get along in that tub. They went in search of something else and presently came back with a trough. This was put on the water by the side of the tub. They each took their place, with the manoeuvres of tight-rope walkers, and the squadron set out to sea. The two ships sailed along in the most alarming way. The tub, not satisfied with leaning down, first on one side and then on the other, jumped about with the agility of a stag, in the direction of all the cardinal points, and seemed to take the greatest pleasure in spinning round with such speed that it looked as though it were wound up and would never stop again. The unfortunate sailor plunged his pole in the mud. The obstinate skiff calmed down, pretended to stop, thought it over a second, and then started off in the contrary way, with its horrible spinning movement. The pole was plunged in again, farther on. The tub stopped short, darted into an eddy, and disappeared in the water. We, who were watching, uttered a cry of fear. Ah, the tub was back again, it had only been a pretence. It went on its way once more, turning about all the time, more and more turbulent and more and more incoherent.