‘Hallo!’ cried Larry, ‘here’s old Leather Face. Shure he’s got the dryest throat of any man I ever met in me life, and we’ve got one or two long-necked ones in the 8th.—Good-evening, sargint.’
Linham gave Larry a stony look; then, without answering him, said to those of his own regiment, ‘Ha, hum! orders have just been issued that we parade at seven in the morning to march inland to a fresh camp. If you’ll take the tip of an old campaigner you’ll turn in and get a good night. It may be a long time before you’ll have another chance.’
At that moment the trumpets of the 8th were heard ringing out for sergeant-majors to attend for orders.
‘By the piper, I must be off,’ said Larry, starting towards his own lines. ‘If there’s going to be a move I hope the ould 8th will be in it.’
At three o’clock next morning the tents of the Light Division were struck, and after breakfast they started in marching order. The infantry consisted of the 97th, 88th, and other line regiments—the 7th and 23rd Fusiliers, and a battalion of Rifles. A battery of artillery accompanied them.
Jack was mounted on the horse of a private of his troop who had been left behind in hospital. Napper, on Dainty, passed and repassed him, spurring the mare and riding her with a heavy hand on the curb. Jack bit his lips hard and pretended to take no notice; but the trial was a bitter one.
The march was through a splendidly wooded country, abounding in clear, sparkling streams, the verdure being of the richest and greenest. After a march of about nine and a half miles they reached Aladyn, where the infantry were left behind. The cavalry and artillery went on another nine miles, at first through a fertile but deserted country, eventually pitching tents at Devna. After the fine country they had passed through it was a bare spot, situated on the banks of a muddy river, very little grass for the horses, and no trees within a mile or two.
‘Just like our blessed arrangements,’ said Will to Jack; ‘march half a day through a fine country to find a dust-hole like this.’
The heat was almost unbearable. The flies were an absolute pest, as they almost worried the horses to death, and in the day-time men had to be employed to do nothing else but keep frightening off the swarms which settled on every part of the poor beasts.
The commissariat arrangements were fearful; there was absolutely no system, and many a day all Jack could get to eat was one biscuit and four ounces of half-raw pork, washed down with muddy water from the river, and that when thousands of tons of provisions were lying at Varna, eighteen miles away. There was plenty of fruit to be obtained cheap from the villagers, who after a time began to swarm in the camp; and the wine of the country, a poisonous and highly intoxicating compound, was plentiful and cheap. Every one was warned against the fruit and wine, as sickness and dysentery began to get prevalent; but many men ignored these orders, with evil results, as will presently be seen.