t the various forts,
and crumbling the upper works of the nearest to pieces; but still all
the time the iron shower sent by the Russians came crashing on board the
ships of the allies, sending many a brave seaman to his account, and
wounding a far greater number.

"The admiral is signalising us," exclaimed Higson; "we are to run
alongside the _Briton_, and carry her into action."

No sooner had he uttered the words, than a loud cheer arose from the
crew; in a short time, having obeyed the order she had received, they
were where they had longed to be--in the line of battle, under the
enemy's fire, the _Briton_ having, as was the case with many of the
other ships, landed a considerable number of her people to join the
naval brigade on shore. A portion of the _Tornado's_ crew were called
on board to assist in working her guns; happy did those consider
themselves who were thus employed. Among the officers were Mr Mildmay
and Tom and Archie. As they were stationed on the upper deck, they
could occasionally see, when the dense wreaths which encircled the
combatants blew by, what was going forward. Mr Mildmay stood as cool
as usual, every now and then pulling out his notebook and making notes
in it.

"I really believe," said Tom to Archie, laughing, "that he's writing a
poetical description of the battle. Perhaps it's a song, to be called
`The Battle of Sebastopol'--`There we lay, all that day, At stone walls
a-blazing away!'"

"I wonder when the Russians intend to give in--it doesn't seem much like
it at present," observed Archie; "I expected that we should sail up the
harbour and sink their ships."

"They've done that already themselves, right across the mouth. I heard
the first lieutenant tell the master so," said Tom.

"I only wish that they were afloat, and that we were fighting them
instead of these forts," observed Archie. "When we have knocked them to
pieces, I don't see what good they will do us."

"Why, of course, to help the soldiers on shore to get into the place,"
answered Tom.

These remarks, which were made at intervals between the firing of their
guns, were cut short by a shot killing two of the crew of one of the
guns under Tom's command. He had to summon others to take their places;
after this he felt very little inclination to talk, nor, indeed, had he
much opportunity of doing so. The position of those who remained on
board the steamer was very trying; they had nothing to do, but were
to