y early."

"No; they came from the direction of Canrobert's Hill, to the eastward,"
answered Jack; "away on our right. They must be the Turkish guns in the
redoubts."

They hurried up the height, whence they could look down on the South
Valley and across the line of redoubts held by the Turks. They were
quickly joined by Jack's friend, who, riding up, exclaimed, "We shall
have some warm work before the day is over. Look, look! there come the
Russians in great force over those distant heights. They evidently
intend to attack the redoubts. Yes, I was sure of it; see, their
leading division has already commenced the assault on Canrobert's Hill."

One of the first objects which had caught the eyes of the naval officer
was the English cavalry already mounted and drawn up in front of their
camps. A general officer, accompanied by other horsemen, probably his
staff, went galloping by from the direction of the harbour.

"There goes Lord Cardigan to join the cavalry," observed their friend;
"he has been sleeping as usual on board his yacht; a pleasant way of
campaigning, eh, Rogers? However, he is no carpet knight, and if the
Russians come into the valley, we shall see what he and his cavalry can
do."

As far as the eye could reach Jack saw masses of Russians, some
advancing southward, others apparently turning off to the right along
the North Valley, when they were hidden from sight by the intervening
ridge. Besides the Turks, the only troops to oppose them were the
cavalry at the west end of the valley, the 93rd Highlanders, under Sir
Colin Campbell, and the marines and naval brigade on the heights above
Balaclava, with a battery of field-guns. Some little way from the foot
of the hills, and almost directly in front of the gorge leading to the
harbour, in which stood the little village of Kadikoi, was a long, low
hillock running east and west, and inside it--that is to say, to the
south of it--was the Highland camp. On this hillock the gallant 93rd
was drawn up.

An officer had been observed galloping at full speed towards Sebastopol,
evidently to inform the commander-in-chief of the appearance of the foe.
Jack at once abandoned all idea of visiting Sidney, as he was sure that
the chief part of the fighting, if there was to be a battle, would not
be far-off. The Russians, who had for some minutes been assaulting the
first Turkish battery, now pushed forward in overwhelming numbers. In
vain the Turks fought t