Even my readers know what shortage of sugar means at this very date, but from a different cause.

Under these circumstances it is not surprising that all their thoughts and conversation should turn to food, past and future banquets, and second helpings that had been once refused.
A census was taken, each man being asked to state just what he would like to eat at that moment if he were allowed to have anything that he wanted.

All, with but one exception, desired a suet pudding of some sort--the "duff" beloved of sailors.

Macklin asked for many returns of scrambled eggs on hot buttered toast.

Several voted for "a prodigious Devonshire dumpling," while Wild wished for "any old dumpling so long as it was a large one." The craving for carbohydrates, such as flour and sugar, and for fats was very real.