from the Russian battery,
drawn by the light; but a delicious odour rose upon the air, and the
teeth of the little contingent watered. There was a ramrod with
Sergeant Polson at one end of it, and Paddy Erroll at the other, and the
loveliest loin of young pork in the middle; and the two, with scorched
hands and scorched faces, turned, and turned, and turned the improvised
spit. And there were some less nice in appetite who had raked out heaps
of glowing cinders from the fire, and had lain succulent slices thereon
and buried them in more cinders, and who were now enjoying a
compound feast of pork and charcoal, with such an insane relish as no
home-staying epicure could conceive over the lordliest dish the combined
cuisine of the whole wide world could show him.

'What are you up to here, you fellows?' said a voice out of the
darkness. 'That's a jolly appetising smell.'

'Fresh roast pork, sir,' responded one man with his mouth full.

'Fresh roast pork!' echoed the inquirer. 'Hillo--that you, Sergeant?
You're in luck. I'll join your mess if you make no objection.'

'Nobody more welcome than Captain Volnay, sir,' said Polson. 'Find that
old bread-box, one of you, and give Captain Volnay a seat.'

'Hurry up!' said Volnay. 'That smell is maddening. How did you men come
in for such a treasure trove as this?'

'I'm Columbus,' said the Honourable Paddy, tinning the ramrod spit.

'Why, by Jingo!' cried Volnay, 'you've got a whole pig here. I say,
Sergeant, I'm going to confiscate a leg for our Christmas mess. You
don't think you fellows are going to be allowed to sit gourmandising
here whilst we go hungry!'

One man, sheltered by the shadow, answered sneeringly:

'Precious little going hungry amongst your set, sir,' said he.

'And precious little you know about it, my good fellow,' Volnay
answered, with his sunny laugh. 'Life isn't all beer and skittles
amongst your officers, let me tell you.'

'I'd like to change, sir,' said the malcontent.

'Would you?'asked the Captain. 'Well, I dare say you would. But we all
have enough to grumble at, and to spare, if we happen to be built that
way. Just expedite that joint, Sergeant.'

'It will be all the better for another turn or two, sir,' said Polson.
'It's a deadly pity, but there's no such thing as a hint of crackling.
Piggy came along with his bristles on, and we have no shaving tackle.'

'Who goes there?' cried a voice in the darkness, two score yards away.

'Grand