First they were Russian, then they were British, then again Russian, till the 50th had ousted them and remained in possession.
It was a bitterly cold night, but the boys, In the great fur coats Jim had bought out of the loot at Mackenzie's Farm, had nothing to complain of.
They found a strong picket of the 50th making themselves very much at home in the Ovens, and received a warm welcome from the officers in charge.
"Any chance of any fun to-night?" asked Jack.
"We can never tell what's going to happen. Keeps us on the jig the whole time, but it's better than doing nothing upstairs."
"And it comes off sometimes," said another.
"And when it does, the Ovens get hot," laughed a third, and they squatted on the floor and discussed zigzags and such matters.
"Almost took you for Russians in those big coats," said one enviously. "Did you steal 'em?"
"Somebody else 'stole 'em," laughed Jack. "We're only receivers. Jim bought them that day at Mackenzie's, when Menchikoff bolted and left us his baggage."
"Talking of spies," said another, sliding off on an inference, "did you hear of the one who walked about our lines for half a day as cool as a cucumber? He was dressed in full French uniform, asked heaps of questions in very bad English, and said we were doing wonders, and made himself quite pleasant all round. And then he caught sight of some more Frenchmen, coming down with the Colonel towards the battery to have a look at the Lancasters. As soon as he saw them he began to edge off down the hill, and when he saw his chance he just made a clean bolt of it, with our men blazing away at him as hard as they could, but he got clear away under the Redan there. And now we're a bit suspicious' of men in big fur coats. If you'll take my advice you'll leave 'em behind you here. Save you a heap of trouble maybe."