Jack was extremely anxious about his brother, for the light division suffered even more severely than did the others.  But he was not able to go himself to see as to the state of things, for the naval officers were not allowed to go on shore more than was absolutely necessary.  And as the camp of the light division had been moved some ten miles farther away on to the slopes of the Balkans, it would have been impossible to go and return in one day.  Such precautions as were taken, however, were insufficient to keep the cholera from on board ship.  In a short time the fleet was attacked with a severity almost equal to that on shore, and although the fleet put out to sea, the flagship in two days lost seventy men.

Fortunately the “Falcon” had left Varna before the outbreak extended to the ships.  The Crimea had now been definitely determined upon as the point of assault.  Turkish vessels with heavy siege guns were on their way to Varna, and the “Falcon” was ordered to cross to the Crimea and report upon the advantages of several places for the landing of the allied army.  The mission was an exciting one, as beside the chance of a brush with shore batteries, there was the possibility that they might run against some of the Russian men-of-war, who still held that part of the Black Sea, and whose headquarters were at Sebastopol, the great fortress which was the main object of the expedition to the Crimea.

The “Falcon” started at night, and in the morning of the second day the hills of the Crimea were visible in the distance.  The fires were then banked up and she lay-to.  With nightfall she steamed on until within a mile or two of the coast, and here again anchored.  With the early dawn steam was turned on, and the “Falcon” steamed along as close to the shore as she dare go, the lead being constantly kept going, as but little was known of the depth of water on these shores.  Presently they came to a bay with a smooth beach.  The ground rose but gradually behind, and a small village stood close to the shore.

“This looks a good place,” Captain Stuart said to the first lieutenant.  “We will anchor here and lower the boats.  You, Mr. Hethcote, with three boats, had better land at that village, get any information that you can, and see that there are no troops about.  If attacked by a small force, you will of course repel it; if by a strong one, fall back to your boats, and I will cover your retreat with the guns of the ship.  The other two boats will be employed in sounding.  Let the master have charge of these, and make out, as far as he can, a perfect chart of the bay.”

In a few minutes the boats were lowered, and the men in the highest glee took their places.  Jack was in the gig with the first lieutenant.  The order was given, and the boats started together towards the shore.  They had not gone fifty yards before there was a roar of cannon, succeeded by the whistle of shot.  Two masked batteries, one upon each side of the bay, and mounting each six guns, had opened upon them.  The cutter, commanded by the second lieutenant, was smashed by a round shot and instantly sunk.  A ball struck close to the stroke-oar of the gig, deluging its occupants with water and ricochetting over the gunwale of the boat, between the stroke-oar and Mr. Hethcote.  Two shot hulled the “Falcon,” and others whistled through her rigging.