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Article THE MASON. ← Page 5 of 23 →
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The Mason.
cording to all rule , the enemy should not have attempted . While waiting patiently for the attack , a junior officer observed a party of Cossacks defile towards the wood which flanked the battery , in order , as he justly imagined , to effect a surprise . Bellont , knowing how apt boys are to imagine
themselves wiser than their elders , paid sli ght regard , unfortunately , to his suggestions . Well , the action commenced , the regiment manceuvred till it had drawn the enemy under the battery , when , to their astonishment , it commenced its deadly fire upon them . Bellont found that , contrary to all tactics , a party of those flying devils had turned his strong point of defence into the certain means of his defeat . "
" Well , major , " said Adol phe , half asleep , « brothers though some of them may be , heaven defend us from a visiting party of these bearded gentlemen . ' The sentinels have replenished the fires , I perceive ; so , without fear of either wolf or Cossack , I have taken up my position for the night;—it will soon be day-break , and a few hours sleep wll leave us all the better for to-morrow's march . "
" You are wise , youngster , " replied the veteran— " nothing like rest ; Lauriston has already taken your advice good night—good night I" and in a few minutes the little party were buried in sleep . The last star was fading in the heavens when Lauriston
awoke ; he was still a day ' s march from the army , and well knew that the emperor would be impatient to learn the success of his mission . " Come , gentlemen , " he exclaimed , waking his companions , who , wrapt in their cloaks , still enjoyed their slumbers , " we have played the sluggard : — to horse , and away ! Laurent , call in the men . "
All was soon bustle and confusion in the little encampment ; the horses were led fr om the rude tent where they had passed the ni ght with the men , and waited , ready
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mason.
cording to all rule , the enemy should not have attempted . While waiting patiently for the attack , a junior officer observed a party of Cossacks defile towards the wood which flanked the battery , in order , as he justly imagined , to effect a surprise . Bellont , knowing how apt boys are to imagine
themselves wiser than their elders , paid sli ght regard , unfortunately , to his suggestions . Well , the action commenced , the regiment manceuvred till it had drawn the enemy under the battery , when , to their astonishment , it commenced its deadly fire upon them . Bellont found that , contrary to all tactics , a party of those flying devils had turned his strong point of defence into the certain means of his defeat . "
" Well , major , " said Adol phe , half asleep , « brothers though some of them may be , heaven defend us from a visiting party of these bearded gentlemen . ' The sentinels have replenished the fires , I perceive ; so , without fear of either wolf or Cossack , I have taken up my position for the night;—it will soon be day-break , and a few hours sleep wll leave us all the better for to-morrow's march . "
" You are wise , youngster , " replied the veteran— " nothing like rest ; Lauriston has already taken your advice good night—good night I" and in a few minutes the little party were buried in sleep . The last star was fading in the heavens when Lauriston
awoke ; he was still a day ' s march from the army , and well knew that the emperor would be impatient to learn the success of his mission . " Come , gentlemen , " he exclaimed , waking his companions , who , wrapt in their cloaks , still enjoyed their slumbers , " we have played the sluggard : — to horse , and away ! Laurent , call in the men . "
All was soon bustle and confusion in the little encampment ; the horses were led fr om the rude tent where they had passed the ni ght with the men , and waited , ready