2GO THE EASTERN HUNTERS. 



fare. It was not a sumptuous repast, but good 

 enough, and enjoyed as much as though it had con- 

 sisted of innumerable delicacies. What mattered if 

 the peahen did prove to be an old bird, with sinews 

 of the very hardest texture, and altogether as tough 

 as leather ? If the soup was by no means fresh, and 

 the cheese like wood 1 Their jaws were young, their 

 digestions good, and the effeminacy of a pampered 

 life had gained no emasculating sway over their 

 appetites. They liked good things, though their 

 absence caused no lament ; but the English soup 

 was a great stand-by. I think the mere fact of its 

 being English had something to do with the ap- 

 proval it met with ; for I doubt if any cook in Eng- 

 land would have much cared to present it at table. 



The mug, too, afforded as much gratification to 

 the thirsty well-exercised sportsmen as the choicest 

 vintages had done at other and more luxurious 

 times. 



" Toothsome stuff that soup," said Mackenzie, as 

 he dug into the peafowl. " I bought a lot cheap 

 the other day." 



" Good enough," said Hawkes, who had yet some 

 lingering reminiscence of English cookery. " A 

 trifle stale though." 



" Why, what an epicure you are ! " returned 

 Mackenzie. 



