Half a dozen fires had already been lighted, and
Sancho had obtained as many assistants, so that by the time the colonel
and fifteen officers rode up lunch was ready.
After chatting for a few minutes with them, Terence led the way to a rough
table that was placed under the shade of a tree. Ammunition boxes were
arranged along for seats. Although but a portion of what had been brought
in had been cooked, the effect of the table was imposing.
"Why, O'Connor," the colonel said, "have you got one of the genii, like
Aladdin, and ordered him to bring up a banquet for you? I have not seen a
winged thing since we marched from Coimbra, and here you have got all the
luxuries of the season. No wonder you like independent action, if this is
what comes of it; there have we been feeding on tough ration beef, and
here are the contents of a whole farmyard."
Almost all the officers had been out before, and Bull and Macwitty had
been introduced to them. They now all sat down to the meal.
"I am sorry Major O'Driscol is not here," Terence said.
"He could not get away," the colonel said, from the other end of the
table. "If the general had come round and there hadn't been a
field-officer left to meet him there would have been a row over it. I have
brought pretty nearly all the officers with me, and I dared not stretch it
further.
Pages:
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516