Walter had, in the meantime, strolled away among the other camps, and was
greatly amused at the various shifts and contrivances that the men had
made to make themselves comfortable. A few only of the officers had
tents; for these, as well as all other necessaries of war, were wanting;
and the troops who had, for some little time, been in camp there, had
raised all sorts of shelter from the weather. Some had constructed little
huts of turf, thatched with straw or rushes; others had erected little
tents, some of sailcloth obtained from the shipping, others of blankets,
coarse linen cloaks, or any other articles on which they could lay hands.
All were in high spirits at the prospect of the termination of the
monotony of continued drill, and of the commencement of active
campaigning. Huge fires blazed everywhere, and the country, for some
distance round, had been completely stripped of its wood.
Everywhere was life and bustle. Men were cleaning their arms, preparatory
to the march of next day. Others were cooking at the fires. Troopers were
grooming their horses. Snatches of song, and loud laughter, rose in the
air.
After wandering about for an hour, Walter rejoined his father. Captain
Davenant was sitting with the two officers of his troop, Lieutenant
O'Driscoll and Cornet Heron, by a fire, the materials for which the three
troopers who acted as their servants had collected.
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