ed and stirred that even I, who knew it was
there, could scarcely recognize it. On their return they were very
hungry and soon partook of their _caldo_, as they called it,
pronouncing it to be very good, and praising me as the best cook they
had had for some time, little suspecting what that same best cook had
put into it. I was foolish enough, though indeed I did not expect what
a bother I should throw up, to ask them then what they thought was in
their _caldo_, and when I told them there was meat in it, they
exclaimed they had eaten the Devil, or words to that effect in their
language, which we were beginning to understand pretty well by that
time after being so long in the country. When they had been and got
rid of all they had eaten for supper, they reported me to their priest
for making them eat meat in Lent contrary to the laws of their
religion; and on the priest coming to the house he condemned me for
ever, and prayed to them telling them not to take any notice, as it
was done against their will and by an ignorant Protestant.

They never liked me much afterwards, nor set me to watch their
_caldo_, and, as they were obliged to have me there still, managed to
make me rather uncomfortable; but this did not altogether debar me
from continuing my jokes, and more as I thought it was pretty well
time for Lewis to have his turn of it. It happened that Lewis
particularly disliked olive oil, and I was myself very fond of it,
and as we were very seldom on duty together, it used to fall to the
one off to cook and bring the other his meals to the guard. So one day
I pitched upon a plan by which to take Mr. Taffy in, he being on guard
and I the cook that day. I asked him what he would have for his
dinner, and he said some potatoes fried in butter, a piece of bread,
and his usual pint of wine: so I got some olive oil, and fried the
potatoes in that instead of in butter; and when his turn came for him
to be relieved for a time off sentry, took his meal to him, which,
coming as it did when he was very hungry, he was not long in lapping
up. I then asked him how he had enjoyed it; and he answered he had
never had a better meal in his life. I said, "Lewis, I thought you did
not like oil." "No, no more I do; there was no oil there." I told him
I had fried the potatoes in oil, but I could not make him believe it,
so at last I said if he was agreeable I would make another mess in the
same manner when we were both together at liberty.