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For British long-range guns were hurling high explosives into distant villages, barraging crossroads, reaching out to rail-heads and ammunition-dumps, while British airmen were on bombing flights over railway stations and rest-billets and highroads down which the German troops came marching at Cambrai, Bapaume, in the valley between Irles and Warlencourt, at Ligny-Thilloy, Busigny, and many other places on the lines of route.
During the course of the action in this district they took 150 unwounded prisoners and ten machine guns. British air squadrons numbering sixty-eight machines on August 12, 1916, bombed airship sheds at Brussels and Namur, and railway sidings and stations at Mons, Namur, Busigny, and Courtrai. Of the British machines engaged in these attacks, all but two returned safely.
"I hear you gentlemen of the Guards have been in the trenches tonight, and that you did not get much the best of the Rochellais." D'Artagnan looked at Athos to know if he ought to reply to this intruder who thus mixed unasked in their conversation. "Well," said Athos, "don't you hear Monsieur de Busigny, who does you the honor to ask you a question?
More than two thousand persons had assisted, as at a spectacle, in this fortunate but wild undertaking of the four friends an undertaking of which they were far from suspecting the real motive. Nothing was heard but cries of "Live the Musketeers! Live the Guards!" M. de Busigny was the first to come and shake Athos by the hand, and acknowledge that the wager was lost.
He had found in M. de Busigny, who, by the by, had given them a magnificent dinner, a partner worthy of his company. They were playing together, as usual, when seven o'clock sounded; the patrol was heard passing to double the posts. At half past seven the retreat was sounded. "We are lost," said d'Artagnan, in the ear of Athos.
"My faith, gentlemen," said Porthos, turning round upon his chair and twisting his mustache, "that's a fair bet, I hope." "I take it," said M. de Busigny; "so let us fix the stake." "You are four gentlemen," said Athos, "and we are four; an unlimited dinner for eight. Will that do?" "Capitally," replied M. de Busigny. "Perfectly," said the dragoon. "That shoots me," said the Swiss.
All that Grimaud gained by this momentary pantomime was to pass from the rear guard to the vanguard. Arrived at the bastion, the four friends turned round. More than three hundred soldiers of all kinds were assembled at the gate of the camp; and in a separate group might be distinguished M. de Busigny, the dragoon, the Swiss, and the fourth bettor.
We continued our way until we came to a place where several roads met, and it was then possible for us to take a route a little more suitable for vehicles. After going through Busigny and a wood, where there were bogs in which we only just escaped being swallowed up, our painful journey came to an end, and we arrived at Cateau in the night, half dead with fatigue, fright, and despair.
"No, only add two bottles of champagne, and the difference will be for the napkins." The host had not quite so good a bargain as he at first hoped for, but he made amends by slipping in two bottles of Anjou wine instead of two bottles of champagne. "Monsieur de Busigny," said Athos, "will you be so kind as to set your watch with mine, or permit me to regulate mine by yours?"
"You was right," said the Swiss; "goose grease is kood with basdry." "There!" said the dragoon. "Now for the wager! We listen, Monsieur Athos." "Yes, the wager!" said the light-horseman. "Well, Monsieur de Busigny, I will bet you," said Athos, "that my three companions, Messieurs Porthos, Aramis, and d'Artagnan, and myself, will go and breakfast in the bastion St.
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