They were headed by an officer who, as he came up, exclaimed: "What do you mean by coming here with pitchforks?
Lay them down, at once!" There was a low murmur among the peasants.
"Follow me!" he said to his men and, walking up to one of the men carrying a pitchfork, he said: "I arrest you, in the name of the Republic." In an instant a young man standing next to the one he had seized sprang forward, and struck the officer to the ground with his cudgel.
[Illustration: 'Follow Me!' he shouted.

'Make for the gun!'] "Follow me!" he shouted.

"Make for the gun!" With a cheer the peasants rushed forward, overthrowing the gendarmes as they went.

The municipal authorities, after hesitating for a moment, took to their heels in the most undignified manner.
The gun had not been loaded.

The gendarmes round it, seeing that they were greatly outnumbered, followed their example; and the peasants, with exultant shouts, seized the cannon and then, scattering, chased the gendarmes out of the town.
Never was a more speedy and bloodless victory.