These few cavalrymen kept much together. Amongst them was the trumpet-major of the 4th Light Dragoons, and an enormous trooper named Parkes, standing six feet three. The trumpet-major of the 4th and Linham were looked upon as the leaders of the little society, who all welcomed Jack most heartily. Poor fellows! several of them were so disfigured and maimed by their wounds that their soldiering days were over for ever. With the exception of Linham, too, they were dressed in all sorts of nondescript rags--old sheepskin coats, Russian tunics, native wool trousers, and boots of every description. Here and there might be seen a tattered remnant of uniform, showing that, in spite of the long hair and great beards, the wearers had once been soldiers. Linham, however, still wore the remains of his uniform. How he had managed it was a mystery to all; but there he was, patched and darned truly, but still in uniform, even to his stock, which he had refused to abandon when everybody else had thrown theirs away with joy. He had bought from a Russian a flat-topped, white-banded forage-cap, and was brushed and pipe-clayed and shaved till he looked much like the Linham of old. The next day it was arranged that the new-comers should be entertained at a feast; and, as most of the men had a number of copecks saved out of their daily dole, provisions on a lavish scale were bought, and quite a merry evening was spent, cards and dominoes, and after that songs and anecdotes, helping to pass the time pleasantly. On this occasion Linham so far unbent as to sing; in harsh, unmusical tones, the only song he was ever known to attempt: ‘Wrap me up in my old stable-jacket, And say a poor buffer lies low; And six stalwart Lancers shall carry me, With steps mournful, solemn, and slow.’ The song, however, was as loudly applauded as though rendered by the finest singer in Europe, and good fellowship reigned supreme. Jack found life at Voronesh tolerably comfortable. The governor of the place was a kind-hearted man, and the prisoners were allowed much latitude, being permitted to wander about the town almost at free-will. There were several English families resident there, and some of the soldiers had made friends with them, and were always welcome visitors. Many of the ladies of the town frequently came to the prison, bringing presents of clothes, food, wine, and such like. Altogether, the prisoners had nothing to complain of. There was no fear of any of them escaping; for, hundreds of miles from their comrades, in a foreign country, without money or the means of transport, discovery and rearrest was absolutely certain, and that meant stricter captivity, with hard and menial labour.