From the remarks the Frenchman had made, they had some hopes that he would bring them food; they therefore lay down on the bench to await his return.
Greatly to their satisfaction, in a short time they again heard a step on the stair, and the soldier who had before paid them a visit entered, carrying a basket with some bread and cheese, dried figs, and some wine in a bottle. He also brought up a piece of candle, and a lump of wood with a spike in it, which served as a candlestick.
He placed these on the table with the contents of the basket.
“There,” he said, “eat away; you may have a long march to-morrow, and if you haven’t strength we may have to carry you.”
The boys pretended not to understand him; but both exclaimed, as they saw the viands, “Merci! merci!” and put out their hands to shake that of the soldier, who seemed, while performing a kind action, to be in much better humour than before.
“Mangez! mes braves garçons,” he remarked. “What is over you can have for breakfast to-morrow morning, as maybe you’ll get nothing else brought you.”
“Merci! merci!” answered Jack and Bill, as they escorted the soldier to the door, letting him suppose that these were the only two words they understood.
As soon as he had turned the key in the door, they hurried to the table, and eagerly devoured some of the bread and cheese.
“It’s fortunate we’ve got so large a stock of food,” said Bill; “there’s enough here, if we are careful of it, for a couple of days.”
There was in the bottle but a small allowance of wine, which was excessively sour; but it served to quench their thirst, though they agreed that they would much rather have had fresh water.