rward.
The short space between them and the earthwork was quickly traversed.
Before the artillery could deal out a second salvo, the Royal Picts
were over the parapet and in the thick of the Russians, bayoneting
them as they stood at their guns.

The battery was won.

"Well done, sergeant-major--right well done! I saw it all. It shan't
be forgotten if we two come out of this alive!"

The speaker was Colonel Blythe, who, happily, although dismounted by
the shot that wounded his horse, had so far escaped unhurt.

"But this is no time for compliments; we must look to ourselves. The
enemy is still in great strength. They are bringing up the reserves."

Above the battery a second line of columns loomed large and menacing.
Was this gallant handful of Englishmen, which had so courageously
gained a footing in the enemy's works, to bear the brunt of a fresh
conflict with a new and perfectly fresh foe? The situation was
critical. To advance would be madness; retreat was not to be thought
of; yet it might cost them their lives to maintain the ground they
held.

While they paused in anxious debate, there came sounds of firing from
their right, aimed evidently at the Russians in front of them, for the
shot and shell ploughed through the ranks of the foe.

"What guns can those be?" asked Colonel Blythe. "They are catching
them nicely in flank."

"French, sir, I expect," replied McKay. "That is the side of their
attack."

"Those are English guns, I feel sure. I know the crack they make."

He was right; the guns belonged to Turner's battery, brought up at the
most opportune juncture by Lord Raglan's express commands. To
understand their appearance, and the important part they played in
deciding the battle on this portion of the field, we must follow the
other wing of the Royal Picts, which, when separated from the rest of
the brigade, passed round the right flank of the village.

Hyde was with this detachment, and, as he afterwards told McKay, he
saw Lord Raglan and his staff ride forward, alone and unprotected,
across the river, straight into the enemy's position. In the river
two of his staff were shot down, and the commander-in-chief promptly
realised the meaning of this fire.

"Ah!" he cried. "If they can enfilade us here, we can certainly
enfilade them on the rising ground above. Bring up some guns!"

It was not easy travelling for artillery, but Turner was a man whom no
difficulties dismayed. Within an hour a cou