s at once the proof of his foraging ability
and his consummate genius as a cook. For though the day was Friday, the
soup was very far from _maigre_. The stew contained both lamb and fresh
pork cut into generous cubes with a sufficiency of savoury fat included.
A sausage had been sliced small for seasoning and the whole had been so
smothered in _garbanzos_, haricot beans, rice, mixed with strips of
toothsome salt fish, that John Mortimer bent and said a well-deserved
blessing over the viands.

"I don't usually in this country," he explained, "but really this is
what my good old father would call a manifest providence. That fellow of
ours will prove a treasure."

"It seems so," said Rollo, a little grimly, "that is, if he can scout
and fight as well as he can cater and cook."

For himself the young Scot cared little what he ate, and would have
dined quite cheerfully on dry bread and water, if any one would have
listened to his stories of the wonders of his past life or the yet more
wonderful achievements of his future. He would have sat and spun yarns
concerning the notches on Killiecrankie at a dyke-back, though he had
not tasted food for twenty-four hours, with the utmost composure and
relish. But his companions were of another kidney, being all valiant
trencher-men--John Mortimer desiring chiefly quantity in his eating,
while Etienne, no mean cook himself, desiderated rather variety and
delicacy in the dishes which were set before him.

At all events the dinner was a great success, though the Sergeant, who
evinced the greatest partiality for Rollo, often reproached him with
eating little, or inquired anxiously if the sauce of a certain dish
were not to his taste. Rollo, in the height of his argument, would
hastily affirm that it was delicious, and be off again in chase of some
deed of arms or daring, leaving the Sergeant's _chef-d'oeuvre_
untasted on his plate.

At this the Sergeant shook his head in private to El Sarria.

"It will stand in his way, I fear me," he said sententiously; "was there
ever a notable general yet who had not a fine belly to wag before him
upon horseback? 'Tis as necessary as the cock's feathers in his hat. Now
there is your cut-and-thrust officer who is good for nothing but to be
first in charges and to lead forlorn hopes--this colonel of yours is
just the figure for him. I have seen many a dozen of them get the lead
between their ribs and never regretted it before. But it is a devil's
p