assembled round the same fire.

But the two mates, it is right to add, were only sympathetic in a small
degree, because of their former position as officers, and their recent
imprisonment together. In reality they were men of no principle and of
weak character, whose tendency was always to throw in their lot with the
winning side. Being a little uncertain as to which was the winning side
that night, they had the wisdom to keep their own counsel.

Oliver presided over the culinary department.

"You see, I'm rather fond of cookin'," he said, apologetically, "that's
why I take it in hand."

"Ah, that comes of his bein' a good boy to his mother," said Master
Trench in explanation, and with a nod of approval. "Olly was always
ready to lend her a helpin' hand in the house at anything that had to be
done, which has made him a Jack-of-all-trades--cookin' among the rest,
as you see."

"A pity that the means of displaying his powers are so limited," said
Paul, who busied himself in levelling the ground beside the fire for
their beds.

"Limited!" exclaimed Trench, "you are hard to please, Master Paul; I
have lived on worse food than salt pork and pancakes."

"If so, father," said Oliver, as he deftly tossed one of the cakes into
the air and neatly caught it on its other side in the pan, "you must
either have had the pork without the pancakes or the pancakes without
the pork."

"Nay, Master Shallowpate, I had neither."

"What! did you live on nothing?"

"On nothing better than boiled sheepskin--and it was uncommon tough as
well as tasteless; but it is wonderful what men will eat when they're
starving."

"I think, father," returned the boy, as he tossed and deftly caught the
cake again, "that it is more wonderful what men will eat when they're
_not_ starving! Of all the abominations that mortal man ever put
between his grinders, I think the worst is that vile stuff--"

He was interrupted by a sudden outbreak of wrath at the fire next to
theirs, where Big Swinton, Grummidge, and several others were engaged,
like themselves, in preparing supper.

"There will be trouble in the camp before long, I see plainly enough,"
remarked Paul, looking in the direction of the disputants. "These two
men, Swinton and Grummidge, are too well-matched in body and mind and
self-will to live at peace, and I foresee that they will dispute your
right to command."

"They won't do that, Paul," returned Trench quietly, "for I have alrea