red from their panic and came
slowly back one by one, to form a circle round the fire, where they
stood, long-horned, shaggy, and full-bearded, looking in the half-light
like so many satyrs of the classic times, blinking their eyes and
watching the little feast as if awaiting their time to be invited to
join in.

"I say," said Pen suddenly, "that was very thoughtful and right of you,
Punch, to cover over the muskets; but you had better put your jacket on
again. These puffs of air that come down from the mountains blow very
cold; when the fire flames up it seems to burn one cheek, while the wind
blows on the other and feels quite icy. There's no chance of any damp
making the locks rusty. Put on your jacket, lad; put on your jacket."

"That I don't," said the boy, in a half-whisper. "Who thought anything
about dew or damp?"

"Why, you did."

"Not likely, with the guns so close to the fire. Did you think I meant
that?"

"Why, of course."

"Nonsense! I didn't want these Spaniels to take notice of them."

"I don't understand you, Punch."

"Why, didn't you tell them we was English?"

"Of course."

"And at the same time," said Punch, "put a couple of French muskets down
before them, and us with French belts and cartridge-boxes on us all the
time?"

"Oh, they wouldn't have noticed that."

"I don't know," said Punch. "These are rough-looking chaps, but they
are not fools; and the French have knocked them about so that they hate
them and feel ready to give them the knife at the slightest chance."

"Well, there's no harm in being particular, Punch; but I don't think
they will doubt us."

"Well, I don't doubt them," said Punch. "What a jolly supper! I feel
just like a new man. But won't it be a pity to leave here and go on the
march again? You know, I can't help it, comrade; I shall begin thinking
about the wolves again as soon as we start off into the darkness.
Hadn't we better lie down here and go to sleep till daylight?"

"I don't know," said Pen thoughtfully. "These men have been very
friendly to us, but we are quite strangers, and if they doubt our being
what we said ours would be a very awkward position if we went off to
sleep. Could you go off to sleep and trust them?"

"Deal sooner trust them than the wolves, comrade," said Punch, yawning
violently, an act which was so infectious that it made his companion
yawn too.

"How tiresome!" he exclaimed, "You make me sleepy, and if we don't jump