charged with headlong
speed.

While the Light Brigade was thus rushing on apparently to utter
destruction, the heavy cavalry was advancing, following Lord Lucan.

"Can he be going to lead them to the destruction to which he has
consigned the light cavalry?" exclaimed one of the naval officers.

"Thank Heaven, no," observed Jack; "they have had a taste already of
what they would have to go through. See, they've halted; though why he
does not lead them up to attack the Russians on his right I cannot make
out."

The heavy cavalry had already lost several men under the withering fire
to which they had been exposed during the few minutes their advance had
lasted, and they were now compelled to remain inactive while the action
was going forward, as their brethren of the light cavalry had been in
the morning. It was pretty evident that Lord Lucan could not be aware
of the enemy on his right, or he would at once have found ample work for
his heavy horsemen. At this juncture a portion of the French cavalry,
the famous regiment D'Allonville, was observed to be moving forward,
sweeping round the western base of the Fedoukine Hills, up which they
charged, rushing forward as fast as the uneven nature of the ground
would allow them at the Russian infantry and artillery which had so long
been posted there. As they approached, the artillery limbered up and
galloped off to the eastward, while the infantry quickly retreated,
though not till many of the gallant Frenchmen's saddles had been
emptied.

Several minutes of awful suspense had passed away since the last of the
red line of light cavalry had been seen rushing into the cloud of smoke.
The guns which had dealt death into their ranks had ceased to roar; but
what had become of them or of the brave horsemen it was impossible to
say. At length here and there a single horseman was seen moving slowly
back, he or his charger sorely wounded. Now more and more appeared,
several, alas! being seen to drop as they retired; the whole centre of
the valley, as far as the eye could reach, being strewed with the bodies
of men and horses. As the cloud of smoke cleared off, a dark mass only
could be discerned in the distance, the glitter of sword-blades and the
confused murmur of voices which came up the valley alone indicating that
the fight was still raging, sounds ever and anon of musketry being added
to it.

At length the numbers of those who were coming up the valley increased;
amo