to puzzle it out. There
is no hurry, for it is not likely that there will be any more
fighting before the army goes into winter quarters; and so that we
are there when the campaign opens in the spring, it will be soon
enough."

The door opened now. Two soldiers brought in a stove. It was placed
nearly in the centre of the room. The flue went up to the top of
the arch, and then turned at right angles, and passed out of the
casemate through a hole just over the window.

After lighting the stove, they brought in two bundles of rushes and
spread them over the floor; and then carried in a tray with dinner,
and placed it on the little table. There were three stools standing
by the side of the three barrack beds, each placed in a corner of
the room. These they carried to the table.

The others waited to see upon which side Fergus placed his. He put
it down on one side.

"Excuse me, major," Stauffen said, changing it--putting him facing
the fire, and placing his own on one side, while his companion was
opposite to him.

Then they stood, stiffly waiting, until Fergus, with a shrug of his
shoulders, took his place.

The dinner consisted of a thin soup, followed by the meat of which
it had been made, stewed up and served with a good gravy and two
sorts of vegetables. The bread was white and good. A bottle of
rough country wine was placed by the side of each.

"The commandant feeds us better here than I was fed at Spielberg,"
Fergus said cheerfully. "If I got broth there I did not get meat;
if I had meat I had no broth; and they only gave me half a bottle
of wine. The commandant evidently does as he says, and makes the
money he gets for our keep go far. Let us drink his health, and a
better employment to him. He evidently feels being kept here,
instead of being with the army in the field. In fact, he is just as
much a prisoner as we are, without even the satisfaction of being
able to talk over plans for escape.

"Ah! I see he has sent a box of cigars, too. I finished my last as
we rode here today, and was wondering when I should be able to get
some more in; also tobacco for my pipe. I hope you both smoke."

Stauffen and his companion, whose name was Ritzer, both did so.

"I am glad of that," Fergus said. "I think it is very cheery and
sociable when everyone smokes, but certainly when only two out of
three do, it looks somehow as if the one who does not is left out
in the cold. I never smoked until I came out here, two