Come, Blessington, my dear fellow, you have
quite lost your appetite, and we may have sharp work
before we get back. Follow my example: throw that nasty
blood-thickening sassafras away, and lay a foundation
from this venison. None sweeter is to be found in the
forests of America. A few slices of that, and then a
glass each of my best Jamaica, and we shall have strength
to go through the expedition, if its object be the capture
of the bold Ponteac himself."
"I presume the object is rather to seek for Captain de
Haldimar," said Lieutenant Boyce, the officer of grenadiers;
"but in that case why not send out his own company?"
"Because the Colonel prefers trusting to cooler heads
and more experienced arms," good-humouredly observed
Captain Erskine. "Blessington is our senior, and his
men are all old stagers. My lads, too, have had their
mettle up already this morning, and there is nothing like
that to prepare men for a dash of enterprise. It is with
them as with blood horses, the more you put them on their
speed the less anxious are they to quit the course.
Well, Johnstone, my brave Scot, ready for another skirmish?"
he asked, as that officer now entered to satisfy the
cravings of an appetite little inferior to that of his
captain.
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