In a short time the fusillade of musketry broke out far to the left, and showed that the Russians were there attacking the French lines.  The noise was tremendous, and all in camp were oppressed by the sound which told of a mighty conflict raging, but of which they could see absolutely nothing.

“This is awful,” Jack said.  “Here they are pounding away at each other, and we as much out of it as if we were a thousand miles away.  Don’t I wish Captain Peel would march us all down to help!”

But in view of the possible sortie, it would have been dangerous to detach troops from their places on the trenches and batteries, and the sailors had nothing to do but to wait, fuming over their forced inaction while a great battle was raging close at hand.  Overhead the Russian balls sang in swift succession, sometimes knocking down a tent, sometimes throwing masses of earth into the air, sometimes bursting with a sharp detonation above them; and all this time the rain fell, and the mist hung like a veil around them.  Presently a mounted officer rode into the sailor’s camp.

“Where am I?” he said.  “I have lost my way.”

“This is the marine camp.”  Captain Peel said, stepping forward to him as he drew rein.  “How is the battle going, sir?”

“Very badly, I’m afraid.  We are outnumbered by five to one.  Our men are fighting like heroes, but they are being fairly borne down by numbers.  The Russians have got a tremendous force of artillery on to the hills, which we thought inaccessible to guns.  There has been gross carelessness on our part, and we are paying for it now.  I am looking for the third division camp; where is it?”

“Straight ahead, sir; but I think they have all gone forward.  We heard them tramping past in the mist.”

“I am ordered to send every man forward; every musket is of value.  How many men have you here in case you are wanted?”

“We have only fifty,” Captain Peel said.  “The rest are all in the battery, and I dare not move forward without absolute orders, as we may be wanted to reinforce them, if the enemy makes a sortie.”

The officer rode on, and the sailors stood in groups behind the line of piled muskets, ready for an instant advance, if called upon.

Another half-hour passed, and the roll of fire continued unabated.

“It is certainly nearer than it was,” Captain Peel said to Mr. Hethcote.  “No orders have come, but I will go forward myself and see what is doing.  Even our help, small as it is, may be useful at some critical point.  I will take two of the midshipmen with me, and will send you back news of what is doing.”

“Mr. Allison and Mr. Archer, you will accompany Captain Peel,” Mr. Hethcote said.

And the two youngsters, delighted at being chosen, prepared to start at once.

“If they send up for reinforcements from the battery, Mr. Hethcote, you will move the men down at once, without waiting for me.  Take every man down, even those on duty as cooks.  There is no saying how hard we may be pressed.”