becoming despondent. "Our chance will come yet, and we shall get
away. If we don't, the Allies may take the place by storm and set us
free. After all, we have little to complain of, for our quarters are
moderately comfortable, and our food, though plain, is plentiful."

"Right yer are, Phil! I'll cheer up," answered Tony brightly. "When I
comes to think of it, we ain't got much to grumble at. Think of them
poor chaps as had arms and legs blown off at the Alma--we're far better
off than they. But I expects this being caged up ain't for long, and
any day the army will be breaking in, as you say, and setting us free."

And indeed, had the prisoners but known it, the Allies were hard at work
preparing to take the fortress and town. To do so from the north was,
as has already been said, impossible, for the harbour was far too broad
to allow of an effective bombardment, and, moreover, its northern shore
was commanded by heavy batteries. Therefore, as we have seen, the
Allies marched to the Chersonese heights, the British left resting upon
Balaclava, while the French lay to our right. Opposite them was the
southern face of Sebastopol, up till then undefended by very formidable
works, though the plan of defences had long ago been sketched and
partially executed. But no sooner was the object of the allied army
discovered than hordes of Russians quickly transformed this side of the
fortress, throwing up powerful earthworks, and arming them with guns
drawn from the inexhaustible arsenals at the dockyard. And while they
slaved, the British and French planned their own earthworks, and set
fatigue-parties to work. By October 16th they were completed, and after
a council of war, in which naval as well as military officers took part,
it was decided that the bombardment should commence on the morrow, the
batteries on the Chersonese heights doing their utmost to reduce the
works in front of them, while the ships engaged the forts on the
sea-face to distract attention. The cannonade was to be followed by a
general assault.

A moment's reflection will show the reader that nothing could have been
wiser than a preliminary battering with cannon-shot, followed by an
assault; but how the ships could have aided in one or the other it is
difficult to understand. As the forts were placed on elevated plateaux,
and in some cases on the cliffs, an assault by means of landing-parties
was out of the question. Therefore the Russian comm