ry. A quarter of an hour afterwards, having
taken the precaution to put some biscuits and cold meat into their
haversacks, and to fill their flasks with rum and water, they started
and rode across the plain to the Sardinian camp.

The lieutenant had obtained the news of the proposed reconnaissance
from an officer with whom he was acquainted on the Sardinian staff.
The news, however, had been kept secret, as upon previous occasions so
many officers off duty had accompanied these reconnaissances as to
constitute an inconvenience. On the present occasion the secret had
been so well kept that only some four or five pleasure-seekers had
assembled when the column, consisting of 400 cavalry, started.

Jack, accustomed only to the flat plains of southern and western
Russia, was delighted with the beauty of the valley through which they
now rode. It was beautifully wooded, and here and there Tartar
villages nestled among the trees. These had long since been deserted
by the inhabitants, and had been looted by successive parties of
friends and foes, of everything portable.

Presently they turned out of the valley they had first passed through
and followed a road over a slope into another valley, similar to the
first. For an hour they rode on, and then some distance ahead of the
column they heard the report of a shot.

"The Cossacks have got sight of us," Mr. Myers said. "We shall soon
learn if the Russians have any troops in the neighborhood."

Presently a scattered fire was opened from the walls of a country
house, standing embowered in trees on an eminence near what appeared
to be the mouth of the valley. The officer in command of the party
dismounted one of the squadrons, and sent the men up in skirmishing
order against the house. Two other squadrons trotted down the valley,
and the rest remained in reserve. A sharp musketry conflict went on
for a short time around the chateau. Then the Sardinians made a rush,
and their shouts of triumph and the cessation of musketry proclaimed
their victory.

At the same moment a soldier rode back from the cavalry that had gone
up the valley, to say that a strong body of the enemy's horse were
approaching across the plain. The order was given for a general
advance, and the cavalry trotted down the valley to join the party in
advance.

"Now, Mr. Archer," Lieutenant Myers said, "the best thing for us to do
will be to ride forward to that house up there. See, the attacking
party are comi