e forage-cap set jauntily on "three hairs."
The little man was an "infantry." His horizontal diameter was twice
that of his tall companion of the rifles; and in the rounded contour of
his body, not an angle was apparent. His garments were quite filled by
his body, arms and legs--so that there was not a wrinkle to be seen
anywhere. It was a form usually styled "dapper." His face was also of
the rotund shape--the features all tolerably regular, with the exception
of the nose--that, like the nasal organ of his comrade, was _nez
retrousse_--the turn-up being infinitely more pronounced. The
expression was equally indicative of good-nature and good-fellowship--as
the apple-like bloom of his cheeks, and the ochreous tinge upon the tip
of the nose, sufficiently testified. Cheeks, lips, and chin were
beardless--with the exception of a thick stubble that had lately sprung
up; but some well-greased rings of a darkish colour ruffing out under
the rim of the forage-cap, showed that the "infantry" was not insensible
to the pride of hair. Neither in regard to him had I made a mistaken
conjecture. Another old acquaintance and comrade-in-arms--the
redoubtable Patrick O'Tigg--a true son of the "Sad."

The two worthies, when first seen, were seated as described--both
engaged in a very similar occupation--cooking. It was--by the most
simple process--that of the _roti_. Each held in his hand a long
sapling, upon the end of which a piece of red meat was impaled; and
this, projected over the fire, was fast blackening in the blaze. More
of the same meat--buffalo-beef, it appeared--was seen in the
wheelbarrow; its other freight being one or two greasy bags, a brace of
knapsacks, a cartouche box and belt, two ordnance spades, with the
guns--a "regulation" rifle and musket--lying across the top of the load.

It was evident from this collection that the men were deserters; that
they had armed and equipped themselves at the expense of the
quartermaster. Perhaps the paymaster had been in arrears with them; and
they had adopted this ready and effectual method of wiping out the
score? My only wonder was at not seeing a brace of _branded_ horses
along with them; but in all probability, on the day--or night--of their
departure, the stable sentry had been doing his duty.

On becoming assured of the identity of the two individuals, my first
impulse was to step forward to the fire, and make myself known to them.
So eagerly were both engaged