It was a sort of long chest in which they laid the little soldier as in a coffin; they placed his gun by his side; then with vigorous blows of their heels they broke the timber at the risk of being buried themselves.
C'était une sorte de caisse longue, ou ils coucherent le petit soldat comme dans un cercueil; ils déposerent le fusil contre son flanc; puis, a grands coups de talon, ils acheverent de casser les bois, au risque d'y rester eux-memes.