eamers got up their steam,
and the line-of-battle ships loosed their sails.

Tom and Archie climbed to the masthead, where they determined to remain
with telescopes in hand till called down to attend to their duty on
deck. In front of them was a line of cliffs extending to the mouth of
the Alma, bordering a wide extent of undulating ground. Beyond the Alma
rose broken cliffs with a broad plateau on their summit, on which the
enormous army of Russia was posted, their lines extending from the coast
far away out of sight. In front of the steep hillsides were numerous
heavy batteries, capable of sweeping the invading force back into the
stream of the Alma, till its waters should run dark with blood. More to
the left the French forces could be seen forming in order of battle,
with the Turks in the rear, while only for a short distance could the
red-coated soldiers of England be distinguished. Now and then a party
of horsemen could be made out. When the sun rose, its rays glittered
for a moment on the helmets and breastplates of the heavy cavalry as
they moved off to protect the left flank of the invading forces.

The hours went slowly by; they were of intense interest to the
spectators, and much more so must they have been to those who had to
take an active part in the coming strife. Not, however, till eleven
o'clock were the armies seen to be advancing. The ships near the cliffs
began the action by throwing shot and shell among the Russians posted on
the heights. The light infantry regiments could be seen moving in
advance, throwing out skirmishers; then came the heavy infantry
battalions, with firm tread pressing the ground. At length the blue
coats of the French, who had crossed the Alma at its mouth, were
observed climbing the rugged heights, the summit of which being gained,
they rapidly formed, greatly to the astonishment, apparently, of the
Russians, who had not perceived their approach. Now there burst forth
from the whole hillside the roar of artillery and the rattle of
musketry, so rapidly as to blend into one continuous sound, telling of
death to many a brave heart.

"The British are advancing!" cried Tom; "see, they are pushing across
the river, but they don't appear on the hill yet. The Russian
skirmishers are disputing the ground with them. What a rattling fire
they are keeping up!"

Some time passed by: the redcoats were hotly engaged with the enemy near
a large village, that of Bourliouk. In