"i am afraid so. i had brought a pack of cards in my pocket, and i thought that, as we were a partie carrée, you might have your rubber after all. but i see that the enemy’s preparations have gone so far that we cannot risk the presence of a light. and, first of all, we must choose our positions. these are daring men, and though we shall take them at a disadvantage, they may do us some harm unless we are careful.