of the valley, threatening
to take the battery in reverse. Not a moment was to be lost; by immense
exertion part of the parapet was thrown down. "Lend a hand, all of
you," cried the naval officer. His appeal was responded to. The gun
being slued round by the sailors and a few soldiers, the midshipmen
exerting themselves with hearty goodwill, it was fired directly down
upon the enemy with such effect that they immediately abandoned their
intention of making their way in that direction, and retreated with the
rest of the attacking force towards Sebastopol.

"Hurrah! we've done for them," cried Tom, unable to restrain his
feelings of satisfaction, while the gun continued to hurl its missiles
into the midst of the enemy as long as they were in sight.

The midshipmen, on their way back, fell in with the officer whose
acquaintance they had just before made, and found that he and his
gallant little band, with the aid of another small party, had not only
defeated their host of foes, but had succeeded in making several of them
prisoners. They now hurried back, under the guidance of a brother
officer of Sidney's, to the Guards' camp. Sidney himself soon after
arrived; and after rowing the midshipmen for having unnecessarily thrust
their noses into danger, and giving Tom a message for Jack, bade them
hasten back to Balaclava as fast as their steeds would carry them. They
got a slight glimpse of the field of Inkerman, on which, before many
days were over, a desperate battle was to be fought. From the high
ground on which they stood near the Guards' camp, they could look down
into a deep valley covered with brushwood, with a line of lofty hills on
the farther side.

By urging on their steeds they got back to the harbour before dark. On
reaching the ship, they heard that Lord Raglan had given up his
intention of abandoning Balaclava. Next morning the _Tornado_ sailed
for Constantinople with a number of sick and wounded men. Several poor
fellows died on the voyage, and the rest were carried to the hospital at
Scutari.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

STORM IN THE BLACK SEA--JACK AIDS VESSELS IN DISTRESS--RESCUES MURRAY--
THE TORNADO RENDERS ASSISTANCE--SHIPWRECKED CREW ON SHORE ATTACKED BY
COSSACKS--THE LATTER ARE DRIVEN OFF.

The _Tornado_, exerting her steam-powers to the utmost, was on her way
back to Balaclava. On the 13th of November the glass fell; the weather,
which had hitherto been calm and sunny, began to change,