on his escape and the victory he had contributed to
win.

"I am thankful to have come out of it unhurt," said Sidney, "especially
when I hear of the number of officers who have been killed; between
twenty and thirty, at all events; and not far short of a hundred
wounded."

Tom then gave Jack's message, and delivered a case containing a few
luxuries brought from the ship. The midshipmen could not, however,
remain long, as they had received orders to return at night, and the day
was now rapidly closing. They were brave youngsters, but they had no
wish to be compelled to make their way over the battlefield in the
darkness, amid the dying and the dead. Wishing Sidney good-bye, they
rapidly retraced their steps; as they once more descended the hill,
their ears were assailed with cries and groans, but as they had no
longer any means of assisting the unhappy sufferers, they hurried on.
At the foot of the hill they reached the road which ran along the bank
of the river, having to pass in their way close to the smouldering ruins
of the village which had been set on fire at the commencement of the
battle. Here it was supposed that several English as well as Russian
riflemen had perished, while engaged with each other, the flames having
spread round them before they had time to make their escape.

It was already dark when one of the _Tornado's_ boats came to take them
off. Neither of them were very much inclined to talk of what they had
seen; and even Jack, when they got on board, had some difficulty in
gaining more information from them than the fact that they had found
Sidney safe and well. After a glass or two of wine, however, Jack drew
forth an account of the scenes they had witnessed on the battlefield.
Tom often shuddered as he described the fearful condition of the
wounded, and the numbers of dead they had seen.

Next morning they were all to rights, and were ready to go in charge of
a fresh party of seamen, who were sent on shore to bring off more of the
wounded. All day long the seamen were engaged in collecting the wounded
men and carrying them to the hospitals, or bringing them off to the
ships; while parties, told off from the different regiments, were
employed in burying the dead, generally in large pits, into which
friends and foes were tumbled without much ceremony. All the time
bodies of cavalry were kept patrolling on the left to guard the people
employed in the service from the attacks of the Cossack