ON MARSH AND DYKE 307 



the living-room, and ordering a fire to be lighted in the 



same, I rejoined B . Then, having paid and sent our 



Jehu back to S with the ancient horse and cart, we 



went into our room to see that it was put ship -shape. 



The room looked just as I had last seen it, seven years 

 before. The same camp bedsteads were in either corner, 

 the same caricatures of the different men who had shot 

 on the island and inhabited that room (alas ! how many 

 of the best of them have gone over to the great majority) 

 still hung on the walls. A square of carpet, a deal table, 

 three particularly hard chairs (one a cripple) and a 

 champagne case turned on end, which acted the double 

 purpose of washstand and extra chair, completed the 

 list of furniture. It was in this room that the some- 

 what fastidious B and myself were to take up our 



quarters for two or three days. B 's only remark 



upon surveying the apartment was, " Thank heaven, 

 we've brought plenty of whisky and baccy with 

 us!" 



" We always cook our own grub here. Jack," I re- 

 marked to my companion, who looked rather as though 

 he wished himself back in his comfortable chambers in 

 the Temple. 



" The devil you do ; never cooked anything in my 

 life." 



" No ; but I have, and will back myself to cook game 

 with the next man. But we must catch our game first, and 

 meanwhile I will fry some of the ham we brought in the 

 hamper. While I am engaged in my culinary occupation, 



