s, who were seen
hovering in the distance, ready to pounce down upon any unwary
stragglers.

As soon as Jack had received on board as many wounded officers and men
as he could accommodate, he proceeded to Constantinople to place them in
the hospitals which had been got ready for their reception. Several
died on the voyage, some of their wounds and some of cholera, which
killed many officers and men after the battle. Jack was eager to get
back again to see what was going forward. Hopes had been entertained
that the allies would at once enter Sebastopol; but the news had reached
Constantinople that, instead of doing so, they had marched round the
city and had posted themselves on its southern side, the English having
occupied the harbour of Balaclava, while their army had taken up a
position on the ground above it, extending towards the fortifications of
Sebastopol.

The _Tornado_ was still steaming at full speed across the Bosphorus,
when, soon after dawn, though still out of sight of land, a loud booming
of guns came from the northward over the calm water. "There is another
furious battle going forward," said the first lieutenant to the
commander, who had just come on deck; "I wish we were there--can the
fleet be engaged?"

"I very much doubt that the Russians will have ventured out of their
harbour," answered Jack; "I suspect rather that the allies have
commenced the bombardment of the city. The last account stated that
they were busy preparing for it, and I think it probable that the
admirals will take the fleet in to engage the sea-batteries."

"They will not do much against those stone walls, unless they are
complete shams," observed Higson; "however, we shall be there before
long, and if there is an honest battle at sea going on, I hope we shall
be in time to take part in it."

Of course there was great excitement on board, everyone looking out
eagerly for the land. Surmises of all sorts were made as to what was
going forward. The engineers did their best to urge the steamer along,
but the wind was so light that the sails were wholly useless. Billy
Blueblazes and Dicky Duff, who were somewhat jealous of Tom and Archie
having been on shore, were eager to be there to see the "fun," as they
called it.

"I can tell you fellows that it is no fun at all," said Tom, who had
become unusually grave since he had visited the battlefield of the Alma;
"I have got a brother there, and in all probability he is in