SIXTEEN


The supply truck pulled into the hospital compound and was met by an anxious horde. They were not there to take care of injured people, however. They were hungry.

Cartonswere quickly unloaded and carried into the mess tent. Everyone crowded around the Texan as she opened the first small box. They looked in consternation at the dirt that was inside the container.

"Sarabeth, if your family sent us crates of dirt, your name really will be mud," Captain Pierce warned. "My salivary glands have been working non-stop just thinking about a piece of red meat."

The woman laughed in reply. Digging her fingers into the soil, she brought a handful up to her nose and inhaled deeply. "Straight from my mama's garden. That's better than any perfume!" She announced while she continued to move the dirt aside, "Don't give up hope yet, Hawkeye. This is just packing material to keep these things from breaking."

With a grin, MacAllister produced three small packages. Carefully brushing the dirt from the sides and removing the brown wax paper from around the first one, she set a glass canning jar on the table. "Bread and butter pickles for Crockett," she read the label.

Selecting another one, Sarabeth announced, "Pickled okra for Fannin. And, strawberry preserves for me." She replaced the homemade gifts in the box and moved to another crate.

One carton held more canning jars filled with fruits and vegetables. Another had several tins of cookies, brownies and cakes. Still another had several bottles of homemade wine.

"Watermelon wine?"MajorWinchester was horrified at the thought.

"It's notmy favorite," MacAllister admitted. "It is one step above Swamp Swill, however."

The next one crate that was pried open brought emotional cries from the crowd.

"I'll take care of these," Captain Pierce said as he grabbed for a package marked 'beef ribs'.

"Touch those and you'll have teeth marks on your wrist," he was warned by the camp clergyman.

"Father, I'm surprised at you. The meek shall inherit the earth, remember?" The surgeon grinned at the priest.

"But the meat-hungry shall enjoy the ribs, my son," Mulcahy retorted.

"Charles, can I borrow $5.00?" B J Hunnicutt suddenly asked.

"Whatever for?"The major looked at the man in askance.

"Because I just remembered that I owe Sarabeth $5.00."

Laughing, the woman replied, "This would be a good time to call in my poker IOUs, wouldn't it?"