Another week and you would have starved
the whole band to death."
"Very well," the man said surlily; "we will see whether you have
gained by the exchange. What does this boy know about cooking?"
"Very little, I am afraid," Malcolm said cheerfully; "but at least
I can try. If I must be a cook I will at least do my best to be a
good one. Now, what have you got in these pots?"
Rollo grumblingly enumerated their contents, and then putting
on his doublet went out to join his comrades in the hall, leaving
Malcolm to his new duties.
The latter set to work with a will. He saw that it was best to
appear contented with the situation, and to gain as far as possible
the goodwill of the band by his attention to their wants. In this
way their vigilance would become relaxed, and some mode of escape
might open itself to him. At dusk the rest of the band returned, and
Malcolm found that those who had met him with the captain were but
a portion of the party, as three other companies of equal strength
arrived at about the same time, the total number mounting up to
over thirty.
Malcolm was conscious that the supper was far from being a success;
but for this he was not responsible, as the cooking was well advanced
when he undertook it; however the band were not dissatisfied, for
it was much better than they had been accustomed to, as Malcolm
had procured woodwork from the disused part of the castle, and had
kept the fire briskly going; whereas his predecessor in the office
had been too indolent to get sufficient wood to keep the water on
the boil.
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