Old Moodie cast a sinister look on him, and longed to strip him of his
frock, and put him between the stilts of a plough.
"This is a noble specimen," the commissary remarked, "of that useless
army the country maintains at free quarters. His ration would more
than feed one English or two Portuguese soldiers for its defence."
"I would like to turn him loose on a Frenchman," said L'Isle, "armed,
like himself, only with the _cajado_. What a recruit Beresford lost
when this young fellow put on the uniform of St. Francis' brigade!"
L'Isle exchanged greetings with the young friar as he rode up abreast
of him, and entered into conversation with him at the suggestion of
Lady Mabel, who, partly to annoy her crusty watchman behind her,
affected to be much interested in this young limb of the church.
The able bodied servant of St. Francis proved intelligent and
sociable, and, while he eyed the travelers, particularly Lady Mabel,
with much interest, let them know that he had left his conventual home
at Villa Vicosa, on a visit to his mother, who lived at a village al,
and that he would pass the night at near Ameixial, and that he would
pass the night at the _venda_ near the bottom of the hill.
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