XVII
CLEARING THE ROAD TO THE CAPITAL
There was something in the ring of the adjutant's
voice which wakened every man in a jiffy,
as though they all had been dreaming of battle.
"Beat the long roll, drummers!"
But already the vast room was astir with voices and figures. Fires were being kicked together, lanterns and candles being lighted; the companies formed in half darkness; they called off. Outside, the rain was still pouring.
"Where we going now?"
"What time is it, anyhow?"
"Two o'clock, my lad."
"B'jabers, we'll nade cat's eyes."
"Weel, there'll be licht enow whin the powder burns."
"Be it to San Antonio or to Contreras, I wonder."
"What difference to you, whether up the road or down?"
"'Tis to Contreras, wid this early start. I'm thinkin'."
"An' do we go on empty stomicks?"
"We're to help out the other lads at Contreras, boys," said a sergeant. "Five or six miles is all. So what does the matter of an empty stomach count? You can eat from your haversacks as we march; and by breakfast time we'll be sampling the camp fare of those Mexicans. We'll be fair in time for
