if he was late in calling his boys back from Breadalbane
Street, that was only because the cold had made his wounds to smart
again, and he could only follow them in the rear till the battle was
over. When the evil was done there was no use of vain regret, and in the
afternoon the sergeant stood beside the big fire and heard accounts of
the battle from one and another, and then he would declare that there
were lads in Muirtown Seminary who would have done well at Inkermann and
the storming of the Redan.

Breadalbane Street, which was broad and straight, with the back road to
the Seminary on the right hand, and the street to McIntyre's and the
Pennies on the left, had been the battle-ground of generations, for it
gave opportunity for deploying in divisions, for front attack and for
flank, as well as for royal charges which extended across the street.
McIntyres and Pennies had been recruited from their several schools and
supplied afresh with ammunition. Redhead took command of the united
force and arranged them across the street in his favourite wedge, with
the base resting on the home street, and this time he gave the signal,
and so impetuous was their charge that they drove their way almost
through the ranks of the Seminaries, and Speug himself, through sheer
weight of attack, was laid flat in the middle of the street. Robertson
and his officers rallied their forces, but it was possible that the
Seminaries might have lost the day had it not been for the masterly
foresight of Speug and the opportune arrival of Jock Howieson. That
worthy had taken his division by a circuitous route, in which they had
been obstructed by a miserable Episcopal school which wanted a fight on
its own account and had to receive some passing attention. A little
late, Howieson reached the Cathedral, and then, judging it better not to
come down Breadalbane Street, where his attack would have been exposed,
he made his way on the right of the street by passages known only to
himself, and having supplied his division with ammunition from a
snow-drift in a back entry, he came into the home street, which was the
only line of retreat for the enemy, and cut them off from their base.
Leaving a handful of lads to prevent the scouts coming out from the
Pennies or the McIntyres with information, and driving before him the
ammunition train of the enemy, he came round into Breadalbane Street
with twenty-five tough fighters raging and fuming for the battle and