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"What did he want with you?" inquired Frank, who was sitting with Simpson on their mess-chest. Archie told his story, and ended by saying: "I don't believe I'll take it; for I don't want to leave you." "You're foolish," said Simpson; for, as the captain said, you can't expect to remain together a great while.
We were not permitted to try the experiment, however, for one day we were all turned out, and a party of English officers, army and navy, entered the barracks, removed the mess-chest, and surveyed our mine at their leisure.
He handed three of them to his cousin, and then crawled out again, and the galley was lowered to its place. After stowing the pies safely away in their mess-chest, they again sought their hammocks. The next morning, when the steward entered the galley to prepare the usual lunch for Blinks, he was surprised, and a good deal terrified, to find that some of the pies were missing.
The preliminaries being arranged, all were to be ready early the next morning. The General and Capt. Jackson having arranged and got ready their proper uniforms, horses, mess-chest and everything that would be required in the field, they spent the evening quietly. The Doctor was very sleepless, and suffered more than usual, but was thought not to be in any immediate danger.
They consisted of a drinking-glass fortunately we had one that had travelled safely in our great mess-chest a cup-full of maple molasses, and a few tufts of white wool taken from the skin of a rabbit. `How was he going to use these things? thought Harry, and so did we all for none of us knew anything of the process, and Cudjo seemed determined to keep quiet about his plans, until he should give us a practical illustration of them.
The soldiers were most willing and most incompetent, and it kept me busy telling them what to do. The mess-chest, and Faye's camp bedding are always in readiness for ordinary occasions, but for a camp of several months in this climate, where it can be really hot one day and freezing cold the next, it was necessary to add many more things.
When the ten o'clock boat was called away, Archie, in obedience to the captain's order, was sent over to the paymaster's office; and Frank was left alone. He watched the boat until it reached the landing, and he saw his cousin spring out. He then walked aft, and seated himself on the mess-chest, and commenced writing a letter to his mother.
As soon as the dishes were washed and stowed away in the mess-chest, Frank went to find his cousin, who was always ready for any mischief of that kind, and readily agreed to the proposal. When bedtime came, the three slung their hammocks together, and, to all appearances, were soon fast asleep.
"Is this all we have to eat?" inquired Archie, as he picked up his rations and followed Simpson back to his mess-chest. "All!" repeated Simpson; "yes, my hearty, and you may thank your lucky stars that you have got even this. You'll have to live on worse grub nor this afore your year is out. But I see you don't like the berth of cook, so I'll take it off your hands. Give me the key of the chist."
Shortly after our arrival, my brother David, who had been absent on sick-leave, returned from home, bringing a large mess-chest of delicious edibles, which we enjoyed immensely, having Willie Preston, from Lexington, who had just joined the College company, to dine with us.
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