We were able to get about without exciting any suspicion whatever.
We found they had six guns and over four thousand men. As we all speak
Dutch fluently there was really no chance of our being detected."
The other officers of the squadron had all gathered round.
"Danger or no danger, it was a very plucky action," their leader said.
"I suppose that was the news you brought in just before the troops
marched off. Well, I wish that we had got our breakfast and the horses a
feed before we started. It is more important for the horses than it is
for us, though I should not be sorry for breakfast myself."
"We have some food in our haversacks, sir. We breakfasted before we
started, and we filled our haversacks with biscuits, thinking that
perhaps they would be welcome, for we knew that none of the troops had
anything to eat before leaving."
"You are very good to offer it," the colonel said. "But we could not eat
while the men have nothing."
"It will go round, sir, though it will be but a small portion for each.
We each put about ten pounds of biscuits in our haversacks, and shall
not be sorry to get rid of the weight. It will make something like
three-quarters of a pound per man all round."
"More than that," the officer said.
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