midnight before
All three produced their pipes and lit them , while the doctor 's servant prepared over the fire a sort of soup with the rations . This turned out to be by no means bad , and when after it the boys produced one of their bottles of brandy and three cigars , the Russian doctor patted them on the back , and evidently told them that they were first-rate fellows . For half-an-hour he smoked his cigar and sipped his tin of brandy and water , then , explaining by signs that he must go and look after his wounded , left them . The boys chatted for another half-hour , and then stowing their brandy carefully away , they shook up the straw into a big bed , and , wrapping themselves in their sheepskins , were soon soundly asleep ; but it was long after midnight before the doctor returned from his heavy work of dressing wounds and administering medicine , and stretched himself on the straw beside them . Day after day the convoy made its way northward without any incident of importance happening . The midshipmen were glad to find that , thanks to their sheepskin cloaks and pointed hoods , they passed through the towns without attracting any attention whatever . The convoy lessened in length as it proceeded .