The slaughter of the innocents began at once; chickens were not abundant in that part of the country, and Harry thought a fine fowl would be very welcome at the general's mess-table that evening, and he was also of the opinion that a similar bird would taste well for himself and Jack.
He secured two, and remarked to Jack that they were the thinnest birds of the kind he had yet come across. “But they're chickens, anyhow,” said he, “and if they're too tough for broiling they will do well in a stew.”
Jack was equally fortunate in his chicken hunt, but his second bird was a surprise that caused his eyes to open very wide.
“Just look at this,” said he to Harry, as he pointed to the legs of the fowl; “wonder what this means?”
The objects that arrested his attention were a pair of steel “gaffs” as sharp as needles, and attached by straps and cords to the legs of the chicken; they were hollow at the base, so that they passed over the natural spurs of the bird.
“I never saw anything like this,” said Jack, “and don't believe it grows there.”
“Nor I either,” replied Harry. “Here comes the general; let's show it to him and find out what it's all about.”
Jack ran to General Vandever and exhibited his discovery. The latter immediately ordered the slaughter of the chickens to cease, and it was stopped at once, but not till two-thirds of the number about the camp had fallen.
“These are game cocks,” said the general, “and they're kept for fighting purposes. I heard that the Third Louisiana had a lot of game cocks, and were keeping them here for amusing themselves. They come from a chicken-fighting region, and this is one of their favorite sports. They get up matches, on which they bet heavily, and then the fighting-cocks are equipped with these spurs or gaffs, and put in the ring against each other. The bird that can first pierce the other with these gaffs generally wins the fight, as a well-directed blow with them is fatal.
“Probably we interrupted a fight,” the general continued. “This bird was certainly all ready for the ring, and if you look around you 'll find another similarly equipped and about to proceed to business.”