"You are but southland bred, Captain Bevan," answered Macdonald gravely, "and therefore cannot appreciate my taste." "The view—though I am too tired to look at it—is, I dare say, better than any I ever saw when I was with Sir Ralph in Egypt, where the scenery is very fine." "The sandy deserts excepted," observed Bevan. "Many a day, marching together, we have cursed them, Campbell?" "Of course. But where is that young fellow, Lisle? I intended to have had him here to-night, for the purpose of wetting his commission in Senor Raphael’s sherry." "He is at Chisholm’s billet, I believe. They have become close friends of late," replied another officer, who had not spoken before. "So I have observed, Kennedy; he is the nephew of an old Egyptian campaigner, and I love the lad as if he was a kinsman of my own. But here come the ’vivres!’ Smoking-hot and tempting, faith! especially to fellows so sharply set as we are. Senor Raphael deserves a pillar like Pompey’s erected in his honour, as the best casa-keeper between Lisbon and Carthagena." While the talkative major ran on thus, the ’maritornes’ of the establishment brought in the supper, or dinner, on a broad wooden tray, and arrayed it on the rough table—cloth there was none—to the best advantage, flanking the covers with several leathern flasks of sherry, brown glazed jugs of rich oily Malaga, and round loaves of bread from the Spanish frontier. "Now, this is what I consider being comfortable," observed the major, as he stowed his gigantic limbs under the table, and gazed on the dishes with the eager eye of a hungry man who had tasted nothing for twenty-four hours. "We have been lucky in receiving a billet here, and are much indebted to the worshipful alcalde," said Bevan, interrupting a silence which nothing had broken for some time, except the clatter of plates and knives. "A little more of the ham, major." "And huevos?—With pleasure. But eat away, gentlemen; be quite at home, and make the most of a meal when you can get one. I’ll trouble you for that round loaf, Kennedy." "Splendid bread, the Spanish." "I have seen whiter in Egypt, when I used to visit the house of Capitan Mohammed Djedda, at Alexandria—" "A visit nearly cost you your life there once, major." "You remember it, Bevan; so do I, faith, nor am I likely to forget it. But it is too soon for a story yet; otherwise I would tell the affair to the young subs. Help yourself plentifully, Stuart. Lord knows when we may get such another meal; so store well for to-morrow’s march." "I am hungry enough to eat an ostrich, bones and all, I do believe," said Kennedy. "And in truth, this fare is the most delicious I have seen since I first landed at the Castle of Belem, some eighteen months ago."