holera. Half a dozen of our poor fellows have
died during the night, and the army will be decimated unless something
is done to arrest the disease." Just then the reveille sounded, and the
camp was quickly astir. The news spread that Silistria had fallen. The
hope that the time of inaction was over was expressed by everyone in the
camp. The event detained Jack on shore much longer than he had
expected. At length a Turkish horseman was seen spurring towards the
camp of the allies. Officers and men hurried out to meet him, fully
expecting to hear that the enemy were advancing. He pointed to the
north, however, and an interpreter explained what had happened. He
brought glorious news, of which his countrymen might well be proud.
Prince Paskiewich, with his shattered hordes, had raised the siege, and
was in full retreat from before the brave city he had in vain assailed
for so many long weeks; but one of its gallant defenders, Butler, after
exhibiting the most heroic bravery and skill, had fallen.

Soon afterwards another important victory was gained over the Russians
by the Turks, led by General Cannon and several other English officers,
in which also Lieutenant Glynn and Prince Leiningen, of the _Britannia_,
commanding some gunboats, took an active part. This compelled the enemy
to abandon the Principalities. Jack after this had to return to
Constantinople, where Sir Edmund Lyons and Sir George Brown were busy in
preparing rafts and chartering steamers for the embarkation of the
artillery and cavalry.

On Jack's return he again paid a visit to Murray on board the _Briton_.
The cholera had been making sad ravages among her crew, as well as on
board other ships of the fleet, but, strange to say, not an officer had
been attacked. Hearing that Murray was below in the sick-bay, he sought
him there, and found him, with two lieutenants, assisting the surgeons
in attending to the sufferers, of whom there were at least thirty in
various stages of the disease. Murray was standing by the hammock, and
holding the hands of a poor fellow--a stout, thick-bearded man, whose
countenance was of a livid hue.

"It's hard to bear, sir, it's hard to bear!" cried the sufferer,
writhing in agony. "Shall I get over it, do you think, sir?" looking up
in the commander's face with an inquiring glance, such as a child might
cast at its mother.

"I hope you may," answered Alick; "but cheer up--many have been as bad
as you are, and hav